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OF    THE 


Trial  of  the  Libel  Suit  of  Dr.  G.  S.  Howard,  of 

Carleton  Place,  Ont.,  against  the  "Montreal 

Star."— Reprint  from  the  "Star,"  1898. 


Dr.  G.  5.  Howard. 


SIS  WILLIfllH  IHEBEDITH,  CHlBf  JUSllGfi  Of  Ontario, 

IN  HIS  ADDRESS  TO  THE  JURY: 

"  No  man  can  calculate  the  harm  such  a  man  might 
do  in  this  community,  if  such  a  man  as  he  is  alleged 
to  be  had  come  into  this  country ;  one  would  feel  sym- 
pathy at  all  events  with  the  sentinel  who  warned  the 
people  against  him." 


Ill 


(     . 


,'H-  - 


'       .    .     ' 


\ 


4 


//  That  man  dare  not  have  his  past  unearthed.  He 
cannot  fence  himself  here,  as  he  did  in  the  examina- 
tion for  discovery,  by  saying,  '  I  decline  to  answer  that 
question.'    He  has  got  to  if  he  goes  into  that  box." — 

Froni  the  address  to  the  jury  by  Mr.  Osler,  Q.  C.  (of  Toronto), 
representing  the  defense  in  the  trial.. 


.  ■  ,;....f-t... a:. 


•Ni 


■r, 


OF    TKE 


Trial  of  the  Libel  Suit  of  Dr.  G.  S.  Howard,  of 

Carleton  Place,  Ont.,  against  the  ^'Montreal 

Star."— Reprint  from  the  "Star,"  1898. 


# 


Dr.G.S.Moward. 


m  WlLLlfim  PEDITH,  cmef  justice  o[  Ontario, 

IN  HIS  ADDRESS  TO  THE  JURY: 

"  No  man  can  calculate  the  harm  such  a  man  might 
do  in  this  community,  if  such  a  man  as  he  is  alleged 
to  be  had  come  into  this  country ;  one  would  feel  sym- 
pathy at  all  events  with  the  sentinel  who  warned  the 
people  against  him." 


v^ 


'  The  case  before  the  Jury  practically  simmers  down 
to  this :  Is  Howard  a  Brahmin-Indo-Fhilosophical  Zealot 
or  a  Simple  Charlatan  ?  "—From  the  Star,  April  27,  1898. 


(( 


He  obtained  complete  control  over  women  because 
they  are  very  susceptible,  and  got  complete  possession 
of  the  will  of  Mrs.  Specht.  Through  her,  he  extracted 
Money,  Diamonds,  and  all  for  the  benefit  of  this  Order. 
The  Order  turned  out,  however,  to  be  his  individual  self." 
— From  the  address  to  the  Jury  by  Mr.  Osier,  Q.  C.  (of  Toronto), 
representing  the  Defense  in  the  Trial. 


SALUTATORY. 


The  following  editorial  appeared  in  the  Montreal  Daily  Star,  in 
the  issue  of  Wednesday,  May  4,  1898: 

"A  mixture  of  Brahminism,  Eastern  Philosophy,  Chris- 
tianity and  Religious  duackery.  We  hope  the  work 
has  not  been  transplanted  to  Canada." 

THE  SAGE  OF  ARU. 

The  suit  of  Dr.  Howard,  of  Carleton  Place,  Ontario,  against  the 
Star  for  libel,  is  probably  the  most  remarkable  action  ever  tried  in 
Canada.  The  evidence,  of  which  we  have  published  a  very  full  re- 
port, forms  an  astounding  story  of  educated  credulity  and  religious 
quackery.  According  to  the  evidence,  Howard  tried,  or  pretended 
to  try,  to  establish  on  this  continent  a  new  religion  composed  of  a 
mixture  of  Brahminism,  Eastern  Philosophy  and  Christianity.  There 
was  a  good  deal  of  occultism  in  the  new  religion  and  a  good  deal  of 
balderdash  about  its  rites  and  ceremonies.  To  say  that  Howard 
occupied  an  exalted  position  in  the  new  dispensation  is  to  state  the 
case  very  mildly.  He  was  known  to  his  converts  as  "the  Master," 
we  beg  pardon,  "the  Reverend  and  Respected  Master,  the  Sage  of 
Aru."  The  Sage  was  entitled  to  wear  a  green  silk  robe  (not  sage 
green)  and  to  carry  a  sword  with  which  to  slay  the  "Elementals." 
We  are  not  quite  sure  what  elementals  are,  but  apparently  they  are 
frisky  little  devils  which  inhabit  human  beings,  trotting  horses, 
yellow  dogs  and  witness  boxes.  At  any  rate,  the  Sage  and  the  ele- 
mentals appear  to  have  given  a  great  deal  of  trouble  to  each  other. 
Then  the  Reverend  and  Respected  Master  appeared  to  have  been  the 
only  member  of  the  order  on  this  continent  who  was  capable  of  con- 
trolling its  finances. 

Of  course,  as  he  states  in  one  of  his  letters,  he  might  have  sent  to 
India  "for  a  member  of  our  Order  of  the  Viasya  Caste,"  but  the  gen- 
tleman from  the  East  would  have  been  under  the  disadvantage  of 
being  ignorant  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  this  continent.  So, 
very  reluctantly, Howard,  in  addition  to  his  spiritual  and  philosophic 
labors,  had  to  take  the  responsibility  of  looking  after  the  cash  as 
well.  The  wealthy  Specht  family,  of  Gunston  Hall,  Va.,  were 
among  the  early  converts.  Mrs.  Specht  was  and  is  a  cherished 
member  of  the  Howard  flock,  but  the  Sage  now  looks  upon  Mr. 
Specht  as  the  Rev.  Mr.  Stiggins  looked  upon  the  elder  Weller,  as  "a 
man  of  wrath."    Mr.  Specht  was  evidently  a  devoted  husband,  a 


man  of  good  principles  and  of  Ivindly  disposition.  To  please  his  wife 
he  gave  live  thousand  dollars  to  the  order,  and  probably  had  this 
been  the  only  sacrilice  he  was  called  upon  to  make  "the  work" 
might  still  have  been  going  on  in  Virginia.  But  according  to  his 
statement,  largely  corroborated  by  other  witnesses,  he  saw  himself 
confronted  with  more  serious  risks.  His  wife  was  under  the  control 
of  Howard,  his  home  was  bequeathed  to  Howard,  his  own  liberty 
was  mortgagt^d  to  Howard,  and  then  it  is  not  surprising  that  he  got 
out  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  Howard. 

The  Sage  says  he  did  not  run  away  from  the  warrant;  but  at  any 
rate,  he  came  to  Canada,  leaving  "the  work"  and  tie  property  of  the 
order  behind.  Perhaps  he  felt  hurt  at  Specht's  want  of  faith  and 
took  this  means  of  manifesting  his  disapproval.  Some  time  after- 
ward Mrs.  Specht  followed  him  to  Carleton  Place,  where  she,  the 
erstwhile  mistress  of  Gunston  Hall  and  leader  of  society  in  St. 
Louis,  has  been  living  in  his  house  and  getting  her  meals  at  a  hotel. 
There  is  a  good  deal  of  the  ludicrous  in  this  story,  but  the  smile  is 
always  very  near  the  tear.  The  chief  result  of  "the  work"  is  seen 
in  ruined  homes,  in  wives  separated  from  their  husbands  and  moth- 
ers from  their  children.  We  hope  the  work  has  not  been  trans- 
planted to  Canada.  This  is  a  free  country,  and  men  can  teach  al- 
most anything  they  like  in  the  way  of  religion;  they  can  teach  the 
worship  of  the  devil  if  they  like,  and  the  only  remedy  is  publicity. 
If  the  Howard  school  of  philosophy  has  now  got  more  publicity  than 
it  wanted,  the  fact  is  due  to  the  blunder  of  the  Sage.  His  horoscope 
was  at  fault.  We  do  not  think  that  he  will  find  this  climate  favor- 
able to  the  development  of  the  new  religion.  At  any  rate,  our  ad- 
vice to  the  people  of  Lanark  county  is:  "Do  not  allow  your  wives  to 
study  Eastern  philosophy." 


it 


i 


DR  HOWARD  vs.  THE  STAR. 


I 


Trial  of  a  Twcnty-Flvc  Thousand  Dollar  Suit  at  Perth. 


THE  SAGE  OF  ARU  AND  HIS  INDIAN  OCCULT  SCIENCE. 


Breaking  Up  of  a  Respectable  Southern  Family— Thousands 
of  Dollars  That  Were  Never  Accounted  For— Dr.  Howard, 
Hypnotist— Said  to  be  in  Montreal  at  Present— He  is  Wanted 
in  the  Neighboring  Republic  for  Alleged  Frauds  on  one  of 
His  Victims. 


Dr.  €w.  S.  Howard,  Sage  or  Arn  and  iflanuractnrer  of  Patent 
Medicine  at  Carleton  Place,  Ont. 

The  alleged  libel  was  published  in  the  Montreal  Star  June  4, 1894, 
the  plaintiff  having  allowed  nearly  four  years  to  pass  before  enter- 
ing his  action.    The  article  in  full  reads  as  follows: 

Washington,  D.  C,  June  4. — Unless  some  hitch  occurs  in  securing 
his  extradition,  Dr.  Granby  S.  Howard,  who  is  alleged  to  have 
swindled  Mrs.  Joseph  H.  Specht,  of  Gunston  Hall,  Va.,  wife  of  a 

6 


6 

wealthy  St.  Louis  clothing  dealer,  out  of  l|?5,()0(),  will  soon  be  lodged 
behind  the  bars  of  Fairfax  county  gaol.  The  Commonwealth  At- 
torney of  that  county  has  been  informed  that  Howard  is  in  Mon- 
treal, and  is  now  in  communication  with  the  police  authorities  of 
that  city  with  a  view  of  his  detention  until  government  officials  can 
secure  the  co-operation  of  the  Htate  Department  in  securing  extradi- 
tion. Negotiations  to  that  end  are  now  in  progress,  and  the  Fairfax 
authorities  are  confident  that  Howard  will  be  brought  to  trial.  There 
is  said  to  be  a  strange  story  of  alleged  hypnotic  intluence  connected 
with  the  att'air.  Howard  is  an  Englishman  about  (JO  years  of  age, 
of  good  education,  and  when  he  went  to  St.  Louis  represented  him- 
self as  an  ollicer  of  the  Eleventh  Lancers  of  the  British  service.  He 
told  many  stories  about  experiences  in  India,  and  started  in  St. 
Louis  an  order  with  Eastern  rites,  styled  ''The  Wisdom  of  God," 
into  which  he  initiated  ^Irs.  Spec'.it  and  her  daughter.  The  Spechts 
a  few  years  ago  purchased  the  historical  county  seat  of  Col.  Henry 
Mason,  a  contemporary  of  Washington's.  Howard  soon  appeared 
on  the  scene,  and,  it  is  charged,  acquired  complete  hypnotic  control 
over  Mrs.  Specht,  who  fell  in  with  Howard's  plan  to  establish  a  col- 
lege of  occultism  at  (lunston  Hall.  Mv.  Specht  and  his  sous  were 
unable  to  stop  Mrs.  Specht  from  aiding  Howard's  schemes  tinan- 
cially,  until  they  forced  him  to  llee  for  fear  of  arrest,  in  connection 
with  a  !if!.5,000  note  which  Mr.  Specht  had  given  his  wife,  and  of 
which  it  is  charged  Howard  became  possessed. 

The  case  was  tried  at  Perth,  the  county  seat  of  Lanark  county, 
and  a  verbatim  i-eport  of  the  trial  is  here  reprinted: 

RErORT  OF  THE  TRIAL. 


(Special  to  the  Star.) 

Perth,  Ont,  April  27. — One  of  the  most  interesting  libel  suits 
which  has  ever  occupied  the  attention  of  a  Canadian  court  is  in 
progress  at  the  spring  assizes  of  Lanark  county  here,  before  his 
honor.  Sir  William  Meredith.  The  plaintitt*  is  Granby  Staunton 
Howard,  of  Carleton  Place,  Ont.;  defendants,  Graham  &  Company, 
of  Montreal,  publishers  of  the  Montreal  Daily  Star. 

The  case  is  interesting  in  many  ways,  some  of  the  proof  brought 
out  so  peculiar  and  startling  that  it  was  hardly  possible  to  believe 
tlie  sworn  testimony.  The  case  revealed  the  fact  that  Carleton 
TPlace  has  at  present  the  honor  of  being  the  residence  of  a  most  pe- 
culiar individual,  about  whom  and  whose  teachings  a  great  deal  was 
written  in  the  American  papers  a  few  years  ago.  This  is  the  plain- 
tiff in  the  case,  who  is  known  in  the  neighborhood  as  "Dr."  Howard, 
though  he  has  no  license  as  a  medical  practitioner  in  Canada.  His 
ostensible  means  of  subsistence  is  a  patent  medicine  business;  but 
according  to  the  testimony  of  his  own  friends,  he  devotes  a  great  deal 
of  time  to  the  study  of  the  philosophies  of  the  East  and  to  the  dis- 
semination of  knowledge  about  the  occult  sciences.  It  is  to  his  con- 
nection with  these  things  and  the  influence  he  obtained,  partly 


I 

i 


through  their  aid,  over  some  members  of  certain  wealthy  families  in 
Missouri  and  Virginia  that  the  evidence  before  the  court  was  largely 
directed. 

Howard  is  a  sufficiently  interesting  man  in  his  own  personality 
to  attract  attention  anywhere.  He  stands  considerably  over  six  feet 
in  height,  and  with  a  stalwart  figure  well  proportioned  in  every  par- 
ticular. Possessed  of  a  really  handsome  face  and  courtly  address, 
he  has  the  added  advantage  of  a  splendid  education  and  great  power 
of  self-command.  He  is  said  to  have  been  the  model  of  Hoft'man 
for  the  dignified,  bearded  and  turbanned  sage  who  stands,  his  beard 
rested  on  one  of  his  hands,  to  the  left  of  the  famous  picture  of 
"Christ  in  the  Temple."  So  his  friends  say,  at  any  rate,  and  the  fig- 
ure might  pass  for  a  very  fair  likeness. 

But  he  derives  an  additional  interest  from  the  air  of  mystery  with 
which  he  has  apparently  carefully  surrounded  himself  from  the  sin- 
gular devotion  of  his  followers,  from  the  sensationally  mysterious 
character  of  his  teachings,  and  from  the  claims  to  historical  im- 
portance he  made  to  some  of  the  witnesses  examined  in  this  sensa- 
tional case.  According  to  the  evidence,  Howard  has  told  that  he  is 
descended  from  the  historical  Howards  of  Norfolk  on  his  fatlier's 
side;  that  he  was  a  baron  by  descent,  one  of  the  original  thirty 
barons  of  England;  that  while  he  was  heir  to  the  baronial  estate  he 
went  to  India,  entered  the  Brahmin-Indian  order  and  gave  up  his 
heirship  to  his  younger  brother. 

Then  he  is  stated  in  the  evidence  to  have  represented  himself  as 
the  colonel  of  the  famous  Seventeenth  Lancers,  "The  Death  or  Glory 
Boys,"  and  as  a  matter  of  fact  to  have  served  through  the  Indian 
mutiny  with  that  dlstinguislied  corps. 

Then  he  claimed  to  some  of  the  witnesses  to  have  cultivated  20,000 
acres  of  land  in  Northumberland,  near  the  Scottish  border;  and, 
moreover,  represented  himself  to  be  the  proud  possessor  of  immense 
tracts  of  land  In  Canada.  That,  of  course,  was  during  his  residence 
in  the  South. 

The  testimony  showed  tliat  he  claimed  to  have  been  an  intimate 
acquaintance  of  the  Duke  of  Newcastle  and  to  have  accompanied 
H.  R.  H.,  the  Prince  of  Wales,  to  Canada  and  the  United  States  as 
a  member  of  his  suite. 


A  PRINCE,  TOO. 


His  mother,  he  claimed,  was  an  East  Indian  Begum,  and  through 
that  connection  he  had  the  right  to  the  title  "Prince  of  Praagaya." 

It  was,  moreover,  stated  in  the  evidence  that  this  celebrated  man 
claimed  to  be  a  great  friend  of  Her  Majesty  the  Queen;  that  in  her 
presence  he  was  allowed  to  retain  his  hat  upon  his  head;  that  he 
would  take  off  his  hat,  and  Her  Majesty  would  say,  "Don't  uncover." 
Then  he  claimed  among  certain  other  things  to  be  a  member  of  the 
Royal  Yacht  Squadron. 

It  was  in  connection  with  his  so-called  philosophical  and  religious 


w 


work,  however,  that,  according  to  the  evidence,  he  made  the  most 
startling  claims.  In  this  connection  he  was  entitled  to  the  designa- 
tion "The  Sage  of  Aru."  (Aru  is  supposed  to  be  a  place  in  the 
Hymalayas.)  His  religion  was  superior  to  Christianity,  which  it  was 
destined  to  supplant,  and  he  claimed  all  sorts  of  mysterious  powers 
and  advanced  certain  strange  doctrines. 

Howard's  attorneys  frankly  admitted  that  he  is  a  disciple  of  oc- 
cultism, and  the  efforts  of  the  defense  were  directed  to  proving  that 
he  was  actuated  by  base  material  motives,  rather  than  by  spiritual 
yearning.  That  he  had  made  converts  among  persons  of  high  intelli- 
gence of  a  certain  class  was  admitted,  as  also  the  fact  that  some  of 
these  persons  have  undergone  self-abnegation  to  a  simply  amazing 
degree, a  peculiar  psychological  phenomenon  which  brought  Howard 
into  questionable  distinction.  The  case  before  the  jury  practically 
simmered  down  to  this:  "'Is  Howard  a  BraJwiin-Indo-philosophical 
zealot  or  a  simple  charlatan?^'  He  had  been  called  a  necromancer — a 
necromancer  with  the  minds  and  souls  of  men  and  women — princi- 
pally women — mazed  in  his  vague  doctrines.  And  through  all,  it 
had  been  remarked,  was  the  clink  of  gold.  There  was  no  mystery 
about  that.  It  was  Howard's  power  of  securing  money  from  those 
under  his  strange  influence  that  precipitated  a  series  of  prosecutions 
in  the  United  States  that  'fulminated  in  this  libel  trial  in  Perth. 
Howard's  only  witnesses  are  three  married  women,  all  women  of  re- 
fi  jement  and  brilliant  attainments,  one  at  least  of  whom  has  aban- 
doned a  home  surrounded  by  all  that  great  wealth  and  loving  care 
can  provide  in  the  United  States,  to  be  near  him  who  she  reverently 
addresses  as  "Lord  and  Master,"  preferring  to  live  in  his  house  and 
take  her  meals  at  a  country  inn  than  to  preside  as  mistress  in  her 
own  handsome  home  on  the  banks  of  the  Potomac,  with  the  indul- 
gent husband  who  had  been  her  mate  for  twenty-eight  years.  Mrs. 
Howard,  a  very  keen-looking  little  woman,  was  also  present  in  court, 
but  only  as  a  witness. 

After  the  suit  had  been  entered  a  representative  of  the  Star  was 
sent  to  Washington  and  Virginia  to  thoroughly  investigate  the  case, 
and  on  his  report  a  plea  of  justifiaction  was  made  and  a  commission 
issued  by  the  court  for  the  taking  of  evidence  in  the  Southern  States 
on  the  application  of  the  defendants. 


tc 
81 


THE  SCENE  OF  OPERATIONS. 


The  commissioner  appointed  was  R.  E.  Thornton,  a  clever  young 
lawyer  of  Fairfax  county,  Va.,  who  had  acted  as  counsel  for  Mrs. 
Specht  in  some  of  her  litigation.  In  view  of  the  high  character  of 
the  gentleman  in  question,  this  was  considered  no  ground  for  objec- 
tion by  the  defense.  Fairfax  county,  which  plays  such  a  prominent 
part  in  this  case,  is  one  of  the  most  interesting  localities  historically 
in  America.  It  was  here  that  some  of  the  proudest  of  the  old  Eng- 
lish cavalier  families  settled.  Here  is  situated  Mount  Vernon,  the 
home  and  now  final  resting  place  of  George  Washington.     At  Guns- 


the  most 
designa- 
e  in  the 
3h  it  was 
3  powers 

le  of  oc- 
ing  that 
spiritual 
h  intelli- 
some  of 
amazing 
Howard 
ictically 
^sophical 
mcer — a 
— princi- 
h  all,  it 
mystery 
m  those 
Bcutions 
1  Perth. 
!n  of  re- 
LS  aban- 
ng  care 
^erently 
ise  and 
in  her 
indul- 
Mrs. 
court, 

ar  was 

le  case, 

nission 

States 


young 
Mrs. 
iter  of 
objec- 
Qinent 
•ically 
[  Eng- 
Q,  the 
Guns- 


ton  Hall  was  drawn  up  by  Col.  George  Mason  and  Jefferson  the  Vir- 
ginia Bill  of  Rights,  the  original  of  the  Declaration  of  American  In- 
dependence. Alexandria,  formerly  in  the  county,  was  the  British 
military  headquarters  in  old  colonial  days.  The  old  stone  mansion 
where  the  ill-fated  Braddock  had  his  headquarters  and  where  Wash- 
ington received  at  his  hands  his  first  commission  as  a  British  officer, 
just  before  the  disastrous  expedition  to  the  valley  of  the  Ohio,  is  still 
standing,  and  the  visitor  is  shown  the  solid  oaken  floors  made  of 
planks  brought  out  from  England,  and  the  hooks  in  the  pantry  ceil- 
ings, where  tliey  used  to  hang  the  sides  of  bacon  imported  from  the 
old  country.  At  Fairfax  Court  House  were  fired  the  first  musket 
sho*s  of  the  bloody  war  of  the  American  Rebellion,  some  of  the  bul- 
let marks  in  the  brick  walls  of  the  court-house  still  being  pointed 
out  to  the  stranger.  Mosby's  famous  Confederate  cavalry  corps  was 
recruited  in  this  locality,  and  the  gallant  Mosby  himself  still  lives 
in  the  vicinity  to  entertain  his  neiglibors  with  his  reminiscences. 

Fairfax  Court  House  could  easily  liave  contributed  seven  hills  for 
the  building  of  Rome  and  have  sufficient  supply  remaining  for  local 
uses.  With  its  incorporation  as  a  village,  dating  back  to  1744,  more 
or  less  interested  in  all  the  historical  incidents  scattered  through 
the  period  of  a  century  and  a  half,  the  silent  witness  of  three  great 
wars,  two  for  independence  and  the  other  for  preservation  closely  al- 
lied with  many  places  which  have  become  Meccas  for  American  pilr 
grims,  the  little  borough  lives  to  itself  and  for  itself. 

In  the  county  clerk's  office,  where  F.  D.  Richardson  presides  as  a 
genial  gentleman  and  capable  official,  the  traveler  is  shown,  inclosed 
in  an  air-tight  glass  case,  the  original  copy  of  George  Washington's 
will.  The  penmanship  is  discolored  and  dimmed  by  age,  the  parch- 
ment is  torn  and  mutilated  by  repeated  handling,  but  the  whole  re- 
mains a  priceless  relic.  In  an  ancient  register  is  preserved  the  poll 
of  the  first  election  for  burgesses.  In  those  days  the  voter  made  a 
viva  voce  designation  of  his  choice,  which  was  recorded  by  the  clerk 
beneath  the  candidate's  name.  It  was  a  fine  time  when  the  office- 
seeker  could  classify  his  friends  and  foes,  and  after  an  election  was 
in  a  position  to  wreak  appropriate  vengeance. 

The  ?ittle  temple  of  jtjstice  which  gives  the  place  its  name  stands 
to-day,  as  it  has  for  scores  of  years,  without  alteration.  Of  minia- 
ture dimensions,  built  of  red  brick,  which  has  yielded  to  the  elements 
until  the  structure  presents  a  rather  mottled  appearance,  it  contains 
nothing  but  the  auditorium,  with  a  high  ceiling  and  antiquated 
furniture.  Narrow  windows,  fifteen  feet  in  height,  fitted  with  solid 
wooden  shutters,  admit  a  generous  supply  of  light.  It  is  a  court 
room  pure  and  simple.  The  various  county  officials  have  their  offices 
located  in  outlying  buildings,  selected  far  more  for  convenience  sake 
than  because  of  architectural  beauty. 

The  court-house  lies  inland  from  the  Southern  Railroad  a  distance 
of  five  and  a  half  miles.  An  ancient  vehicle,  drawn  by  two  ancient 
horses,  covers  the  distance  over  a  winding  country  road,  passing  up 
and  down  countless  hills  at  a  leisurely  rate  of  speed,  which  has 


10 

earned    for  itself    the  appropriate  designation  of    the  "Virginia 
Creeper." 

On  either  side  grow  stunted  cedars  and  better  developed  pines, 
with  their  dwarfed  cones  darkened  by  the  unvarying  heat.  Large 
tracts  of  luxuriously  grown  underbush  and  saplings  cover  the  hill- 
sides and  disappear  beyond  tlieir  crests.  Here  and  there  a  clump  of 
oak  rear  their  heads  skyward,  with  an  occasional  specimen  of  the 
ash,  indicating  that  the  country  was  once  well  timbered.  Along  the 
rail  fences  creep  many  varieties  of  vines,  with  here  and  there  a 
clump  of  wild  raspberry  bushes,  with  a  few  scattering  red  berries, 
drying  in  the  withering  sunlight.  Over  the  low-lying  hills  Lord 
Fairfax  rode  on  horseback  toward  the  close  of  the  colonial  days; 
through  these  narrow  country  roads  Chief  eJustice  Marshall  drove 
his  two-wheeled  gig;  the  very  ground  itself  belonged  to  the  personal 
estate  of  George  Washlngtou;  within  twenty  miles  at  Gunston  Hall 
his  great  personal  friend  (ei-ony  in  fact),  Col.  George  Mason,  wrote 
the  Virginia  Bill  of  Kights  and  Jefferson  made  a  rough  draft  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence;  and  down  these  same  lanes  Lafayette 
passed  during  his  (riumplial  visit  to  the  land  whose  freedom  he  had 
aided  in  establishing,  and  settling  down  amid  all  of  these  dreams 
and  memories  had  come  the  spirit  of  Oriental  mystery.  Over  these 
same  hlghwa3's  and  into  these  same  mansions  came  Dr.  Granby 
Staunton  Howard,  the  high  priest  of  occultism,  proclaiming  a  doc- 
trine whose  psychoUgcal  phenomenon  has  never  been  surpassed 
Whether  charlatan  or  fanatic,  his  personal  magnetism  chained  to 
himself  the  minds  and  souls  of  men.  Here  became  the  national 
headquarters  of  the  Occidental  Branch  of  the  Oriental  Order  of  the 
Sat  Bai  Kooha,  of  which  Dr.  Howard  was  grand  sponsor.  As  a  past 
master  of  occultism  he  sustained  relations  with  Adonai  and  the 
Angel  Gabriel,  communed  with  the  stars  and  cast  horoscopes,  con- 
versed through  space  with  the  Mahatmas  of  the  Himalayas,  rein- 
carnated Rameses  HL,  Buddha  and  the  Messiah  and  communed  with 
the  familiar  spirits  by  which  he  was  constantly  surrounded.  It  was 
a  fitting  locality  for  such  an  installation  of  mysteries. 


p< 

wl 

w| 

1^ 

Ml 

iuj 

oti 

wl 
cu 


THE  CASE  OPENS. 

The  commission  completed  its  work  some  weeks  ago,  and  now  the 
result  of  its  inquiry  is  about  to  be  submitted  to  a  jury  of  the  level- 
headed, sturdy-limbed  yeoman  of  Lanark  county.  Sir  William  Mere- 
dith took  his  seat  on  the  bench  at  10  o'clock  yesterday,  and  after  a 
formal  presentment  from  the  grand  jury  on  their  inspection  of  the 
county  gaol  had  been  received  and  the  good  men  and  true  composing 
the  grand  jury  discharged,  the  case  of  Howard  vs.  Graham  was 
called.  Both  sides  were  ready,  Mr.  F.  R.  Latchford,  of  Ottawa,  and 
Mr.  T.  K.  Allan,  of  Kemptville,  appearing  for  the  plaintiff,  and  Mr. 
B.  B.  Osier,  Q.  C,  of  Toronto,  and  Mr.  W.  D.  Hogg,  Q.  C,  of  Ottawa, 
appearing  for  the  defendant.  The  court  was  crowded  with  specta- 
tors, including  many  of  the  leading  people,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  of 


11 


Virginia 

id  pines, 
Large 
the  liill- 
jlump  of 
Q  of  the 
long  the 
there  a 
berries, 
lis  Lord 
al  days; 
.11  drove 
personal 
ton  Hall 
n,  wrote 
ft  of  the 
afayette 
I  he  had 
dreams 
er  these 
Granby 
g  a  doo- 
irpassed 
lined  to 
Qational 
r  of  the 
s  a  past 
nd  the 
^es,  con- 
is,  rein- 
led  with 
It  was 


iow  the 

level- 

Mere- 

ifter  a 

of  the 

iposing 

was 

[a,  and 

id  Mr. 

ttawa, 

^pecta- 

len,  of 


i 


this  pretty,  fashionable  little  town.  A  jury  was  quickly  impaneled 
and  sworn  as  follows:  James  Allan,  Alexander  McTavish,  William 
Barr,  Thomas  McVeitty,  Wm.  H.  Butler,  Thomas  Craig,  Patrick 
McGarry,  Robert  Cochrane,  Alexander  Purden,  William  Crossgrain, 
William  Penman  and  Louis  Giroux. 

Mr.  Latchford  briefly  addressed  the  jury,  explaining  the  plaintiff's 
position.  The  plaintiff  lived  in  Montreal  from  1887  until  about  1891, 
when  he  went  to  the  United  States.  He  remained  there  till  1894, 
when  he  returned  to  Montreal.  That  was  in  :he  latter  part  of  May, 
1894.  In  June  the  Star  published  the  article  complained  of,  which 
Mr.  Latchford  read.  The  Star  had  a  very  large  circulation  not  only 
in  the  Province  of  Quebec,  but  also  in  Ontario  as  well,  and  in  the 
other  provinces,  too.  The  statements  published  in  the  article  in 
questioQ,  the  plaintitt'  held,  were  absolutely  without  any  foundation 
whatever,  and  the  wide  circulation  given  to  them  was  certainly  cal- 
culated to  injure  him  grievously. 

The  defense  voluntarily  admitted  the  publication  of  the  alleged 
libelous  article,  and  Mr.  Latchford  announced  that  that  was  the 
case  for  the  plaintiff". 

Then  Mr.  Osier,  Q.  C,  briefly  explained  the  case  for  the  defense. 
"We  plead  and  say,"  he  remarked,  "that  the  article  in  question  is 
true  in  substance  and  in  fact.  The  case  we  make  is  somewhat  a  pe- 
culiar one,  dealing  with  matters  somewhat  outside  usual  human 
experience.  Howard,  the  plaintiff,  met  the  Specht  family,  people 
of  considerable  wealth,  out  in  St.  Louis,  and  fastened  himself  on  to 
them,  using  his  influence  with  the  wife  to  get  money  from  the  hus- 
band for  certain  work  which  he  did  not  carry  on.  The  result  was 
the  breaking  up  of  a  previously  happy  family,  the  wife,  through  this 
man's  influence,  losing  her  confidence  in  the  husband  who  had 
treated  her  kindly.  This  man  Howard  claimed  to  be  a  member  of  the 
great  Norfolk  Howard  family  in  the  North  of  England,  to  have  been 
a  colonel  in  Her  Majesty's  army,  to  have  been  hign  up  in  some  sortof 
Brahmin-Indian  religion,  to  be  entitled  to  be  called  the  Sage  of  Aru, 
and  generally  enveloped  himself  in  that  class  of  influence  which 
surrounds  a  fakir.  He  obtained  complete  control  over  women  be- 
cause they  are  very  susceptible,  and  got  complete  possession  of  the 
will  of  Mrs.  Specht.  Through  her  he  extracted  money,  jewels,  and 
all  for  the  benefit  of  this  order.  The  order  turned  out,  however,  to 
be  this  individual  himself." 

Mr.  Osier  said  that  the  dispatch  in  question  came  to  the  Star  in 
the  ordinary  course.  The  defendant  had  a  duiy  as  a  journalist. 
There  is  a  stern  duty  which  a  newspaper  owes  to  the  public.  When 
it  publishes  an  exposure  of  a  man's  character  and  is  sued  for  libel, 
it  must  not  give  a  character  to  a  man  who  does  not  deserve  it  by  a 
settlement  or  an  apology.  In  these  days  of  rapid  transit  the  press 
has  a  useful  mission  to  perform  in  enlightening  the  public  as  to  the 
character  of  strangers  who  come  to  live  among  them.  The  press 
can  protect  the  public  from  people  of  bad  character,  who  change 
their  operations  from  one  country  to  another  in  a  night.     If  Howard 


12 

was  the  kind  of  man  the  article  complained  of  said  he  was,  the  com- 
munity had  the  right  to  know  what  kind  of  a  man  had  come  into 
their  midst.  The  jury  represented  the  sober  common  sense  of  the 
community,  and  one  of  their  duties  as  good  citizens  was  to  put  down 
humbug.  One  might  naturally  wonder  why,  if  he  had  sustained 
any  injury  to  his  character  by  the  publication  of  this  article,  the 
plaintiff  had  waited  four  years  before  having  this  case  taken.  Was 
he  using  the  paper  in  trying  to  replenish  his  treasury,  thinking  that 
the  paper  would  find  it  cheaper  to  settle  with  him  than  to  defend 
the  case? 

Mr.  Osier  then  proceeded  to  read  the  evidence  of  the  commission, 
but  Mr.  Latchford  objected.  The  commissioner  had  been  sworn  as 
such  by  Judge  Bingham,  Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
District  of  Columbia.  There  was  a  stamped  certificate  of  the  clerk 
of  that  court  that  Judge  Bingham  was  a  judge,  but  no  proof  that 
he  was  a  judge  of  a  court  of  record. 

His  lordship  said  that  he  could  safely  assume  that  from  the  very 
title  and  designation  of  the  court.  At  any  rate  it  would  be  easy  to 
obtain  evidence  on  that  point. 

The  evidence  taken  before  the  commission  in  the  United  States 
was  then  read  to  the  jury  as  follows. 


111! 


the  com- 
tme  into 
e  of  the 
ut  down 
iistained 
icle,  the 
1.  Was 
ing  that 
)  defend 

mission, 
worn  as 
't  of  the 
he  clerk 
oof  that 

the  very 
easy  to 

i  states 


FIGURES    FROM    HOWARD'S    LEDGER. 


Thousands  of  Dollars  Paid  Him, 


HIS    VICTITV^S     IN     ST.    LOUIS. 


Celsus  Price  Paid  Him  Six  Thousand  Dollars— Nidelet,  over 
Five  Thousand— tlie  Gunston  Temple  and  the  Services 
There. 


Joseph  Specht,  a  witness  called  on  behalf  of  the  defendants  in  the 
above  entitled  cause,  having  been  duly  sworn,  testified  as  follows: 
By  Mr.  Hogg,  Q.  C: 

Q.  What  is  your  full  name,  Mr.  Specht?-    A.  Joseph  Specht. 

Q.  What  is  your  residence?  A.  My  present  residence  is  Guns- 
ton,  Va. 

Q.  Is  Gunston  a  town?  A.  Gunston  is  rather  a  small  village,  with 
a  post  office. 

Q.  You  have  a  residence  there?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  is  it  called?    A.  It  is  called  Gunston  Hall. 

Q.  Where  have  you  lived  the  greater  part  of  your  life?  A.  The 
greater  part  of  my  life  I  have  lived  in  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Q.  What  business  did  you  carry  on?  A.  From  1875  to  1891 1  car- 
ried on  a  general  mercantile  business. 

Q.  Was  that  on  quite  a  large  scale?  A.  In  the  latter  part  of  that 
time  we  had  quite  an  extensive  establishment,  employing  in  the 
neighborhood  of  two  or  three  hundred  people,  and  turning  out 
11,500,000  worth  of  merchandise  per  year. 

Q.  Were  you  in  the  business  alone  or  had  you  partners?  A.  It 
was  a  stock  company.  I  was  president  of  the  company,  and  owned 
a  greater  part  of  the  stock. 

Q.  You  are  a  married  man,  I  believe?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  About  when  were  you  married?  A.  About  thirty-two  years 
ago. 

Q.  Were  you  living  with  your  wife  in  St.  Louis?  A.  We  resided 
in  St.  Louis  in  different  places  the  most  of  our  married  life.  The 
last  residence  we  had  there  was  in  West  St.  Louis,  but  of  course  we 
lived  in  various  places  in  St.  Louis  during  that  time. 

Q.  You  had  a  family?  A.  Our  family  consisted  of  two  sons,  who 
are  now  grown  up,  and  one  of  whom  is  married,  and  two  daugliters, 
one  of  whom  is  married. 

Q.  One  of  your  sons  lives  in  Washington?  A.  Yes,  sir;  the  eldest, 
Joseph  A.  Specht. 

18 


w 


14 


Q.  He  is  an  Episcopal  clergyman?  A.  He  was  ordained  last  fall. 
He  is  not  a  full-fledged  minister;  be  is  in  the  ministry. 

Q.  Has  he  a  charge  here?  A..  He  is  now  assisting  in  the  Church 
of  the  Ascension  during  the  absence  of  the  minister  and  his  assist- 
ant, they  both  being  sick. 

Q.  What  were  your  family  relations  with  Mrs.  Specht?  A.  Well, 
my  relations  with  Mrs.  Specht  up  to  about  1891  were  very  pleasant 
and  agreeable.  She  was  a  good,  faithful  wife,  a  good  mother  and 
everything  of  that  kind,  and  we  seemed  to  harmonize  very  nicely. 

Q.  Then  there  was  no  discord  in  the  family?  A.  Not  that  I 
know  of. 

Qi  You  state  that  she  was  a  good  mother.  What  were  her  rela- 
tions with  the  children? 

(Objected  to  by  plaintiff,  but  objection  overruled.) 

A.  During  the  time  that  the  children  were  small,  before  they  were 
eleven  or  twelve  years  old,  she  was  vei*y  attentive  in  her  duties  as 
a  mother,  taking  an  interest  in  all  their  little  affairs  and  everything 
else;  but  when  the  boys  grew  up  to  twelve  or  thirteen  years  old  her 
attention  seemed  to  be  drawn  in  a  direction  of  writing  books  and 
studying  philosophy  and  mental  science  and  everything  of  that  kind; 
and  in  order  to  get  rid  of  these  boys  slie  would  give  them  money  in 
amounts  I  thought  very  indiscreet,  sometimes  |5  at  a  time  and 
sometimes  |10,  to  go  out  and  have  a  good  time,  which  resulted  in  a 
great  deal  of  trouble  later  on  with  these  boys.  She  wanted  to  get 
rid  of  the  care  of  them,  having  given  so  much  attention  to  these  out- 
side studies. 

Q.  But  in  other  respects  the  family  went  on  quietly  and  hap- 
pily?   A.  Yes,  sir;  up  to  1891. 

Q.  In  1891  your  sons  were  quite  young  men,  were  they  not,  or 
were  tlioy  just  lads?  A.  In  1891  one  of  them,  I  judge,  must  have 
been  about  of  age,  and  the  other  lad  was  within  a  year  or  two  of  it. 
They  were  young  men. 

Q.  When  did  you  move  to  Gunston  Hall?  A.  We  moved  to  Guns- 
ton  Hall,  I  think,  in  the  June  of  1892,  If  I  am  not  mistaken. 

Q.  How  did  you  come  to  purchase  Gunston  Hall?  A.  I  had  been 
a  \erj  busy  man  all  my  life,  and  having  accumulated  a  sufficiency, 
I  had  it  in  mind  to  get  a  country  place,  an  outing  place  as  it  were, 
to  rest  up  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  I  heard  of  this  place  being  for 
sale  through  a  lady  who  lived  in  Cleveland,  Ohio,  and  so  my  wife 
and  I  came  to  look  at  it,  and  we  bought  it.  It  seemed  to  suit  her,  it 
suited  me,  and  I  purchased  the  property. 


in| 
oi 


8i( 

vel 

of 


THE  MEETING  WITH  HOWARD. 

Q.  Do  you  know  the  plaintiff,  Granby  S.  Howard?    A.  Yes,  sir. 
Q.  When  did  you  become  acquainted  with  him?    A.  I  became  ac- 
quainted with  him  in  1891. 


15 


last  fall. 

e  Church 
lis  assist- 

A.  Well, 
pleasant 
ilher  and 
nicely. 
)t  that  I 

her  rela- 


hey  were 
duties  as 
^erything 
s  old  her 
Doks  and 
lat  kind; 
money  in 
:ime  and 
Ited  in  a 
pd  to  get 
hese  out- 

ind  hap- 
not,  or 

ist  have 
r'o  of  it. 

0  Guns- 
ad  been 
ciency, 
t  were, 
ing  for 
ly  wife 
her,  it 


,  sir. 
me  ao- 


Q.  About  what  time  in  1891?  A.  It  must  have  been  in  the  spring 
of  1891. 

Q.  Was  that  prior  to  the  purchase  of  Gunston  Hall?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  actuated  in  any  way  in  that  purchase  of  Gunston 
Hall  by  your  acquaintance  with  the  plaintiff?     A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  How  did  you  happen  to  become  acquainted  with  the  plaintiff 
in  the  spring  of  1891?  A.  We  had  a  family  physician  by  the  name 
of  Sylvester  L.  Nidelet. 

Q.  That  was  at  St.  Louis?    A.  At  St.  Louis. 

Q.  Now  go  on  and  state  how  you  became  acquainted  with  the 
plaintiff  in  the  spring  of  1891?  A.  As  I  just  stated,  our  family  phy- 
sician, Sylvester  L.  Nidelet,  in  1887, 1  think,  left  the  city  of  St.  Louis 
very  suddenly.  He  was  not  only  our  family  physician,  but  a  friend 
of  the  family;  a  man  who  was  well  connected,  who  had  established 
a  practice  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis  worth,  I  suppose,  from  $10,000  to 
f  15,000  a  year;  a  very  excellent  physician;  and  he  left  very  suddenly 
for  the  purpose  of  going  to  India,  as  he  said,  to  study  occultism.  He 
had  a  friend  by  the  name  of  Celsus  Price,  whom  lie  had  introduced 
to  our  family.  Celsus  Price  claimed  that  he  was  connected  with  his 
lord  and  master  in  the  Orient,  and  that  he  was  in  communication 
with  him. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  see  a  letter  which  your  wife  received  in  the  year 
1887  from  some  person  styling  himself  the  Sage  of  Aru?  A.  There 
is  a  copy  of  that  letter  here,  the  original  of  which  I  have  in  my  pos- 
session. This  is  a  copy  of  the  original.  That  is  the  first  introduc- 
tion my  family  had  at  that  time. 

Q.  That  is  the  first  communication  you  know  of  coming  to  your 
wife  from  the  Sage  of  Aru?  A.  Yes,  sir.  When  she  received  this 
I  saw  it.     I  mean  the  original. 

THE  SAGE  OF  ARU. 

Q.  Did  your  wife  show  that  letter  to  vou?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  she  tell  you  who  the  Sage  of  Aru  was  then?  A.  She 
didn't  know  who  he  was  then.  She  supposed  it  was  some  great  oc- 
cult man  in  India  that  had  stooped  so  far  as  to  write  to  a  person  who 
was  not  worth  being  noticed,  and  everything  of  that  kind. 

Q.  Did  you  know  of  any  communication  going  on  between  your 
wife  and  Howard,  the  plaintiff,  after  1887,  and  before  you  personally 
became  acquainted  with  him?  A.  I  have  no  doubt  that  before  this 
letter  was  written  there  were  communications  going  on  between 
them  through  Celsus  Price. 

Q.  Did  you  see  them?  A.  No,  I  did  not  see  any  of  those  com- 
munications. 

Q.  This  is  the  first  that  you  heard  of  the  plaintiff?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Subsequently  did  you  find  out  that  Ihe  so-called  Sage  of  Aru 
was  the  plaintiff  Howard?    A.  Yes,  sir. 


10 


l!.<' 


hi 


m 
;i 

m 

IS 


!!:! 


Q.  Then  in  the  spring  of  1891  you  personally  came  in  contact  with 
Howard,  the  plaintiff?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where?    A.  In  St.  Louis. 

Q.  Do  you  know  how  he  came  there?  I  mean  upon  whose  invita- 
tion? A.  Howard  had  Nidelet  and  Price  urder  his  control,  and 
they  were  supposed  to  have  gone  to  India,  where  Howard  was  sup- 
posed to  live.  But,  through  an  investigation  v^hich  I  made  later  on, 
after  this  fellow  had  decamped  the  country,  I  ascertained  that  Price 
and  Nidelet  went  to  New  York,  and  there  they  remained  until  all 
their  money  was  spent.  This  fakir,  Howard,  took  all  the  money  that 
they  had.  I  have  a  ledger  which  will  show  the  amount  that  these 
people  put  into  his  hands. 

Q.  About  how  much  money  did  Price  put  into  Howard's  hands? 
A.  I  have  a  ledger  here  that  gives  the  amount.  This  is  Dr.  Howard's 
ledger  that  came  out  of  his  private  papers.  He  hid  the  box  that  he 
kept  these  papers  in.  According  to  this  ledger,  Howard  got  from 
Celsus  Price  over  |6,000,  and  from  Nidelet  he  got  |5,352. 

Q.  Did  you  afterward  become  aware  of  the  fact  that  these  men, 
Price  and  Nidelet,  were  followers  of  Howard's  teachings?  A.  They 
claimed  to  be  his  followers,  to  give  up  everything  that  they  had  to 
him  in  order  to  follow  out  the  life  that  he  said  that  they  should 
have  to  live. 

Q.  Did  you  afterward,  and  prior  to  Howard's  leaving  the  country, 
know  as  a  matter  of  fact  that  these  men  were  his  servants  and  fol- 
/owing  him? 

THEIR  LORD  AND  MASTER. 

A.  Certainly,  they  were  perfect  slaves  to  his  will.  They  called  him 
lord  and  master,  and  cringed  like  a  worm. 

Q.  Each  of  them  called  Howard,  the  plaintiff,  lord  and  master? 
A.  Lord  and  master. 

Q.  And  did  his  will?    A.  And  did  whatever  he  told  them  to  do. 

Q.  Where  were  they  when  you  observed  these  facts?  A.  These 
two  men  were  located  at  Gunston  upon  a  small  piece  of  property 
that  Howard  bought.  When  I  say  Gunston  I  mean  the  little  village 
where  the  post  office  was. 

Q.  Not  far  from  your  residence?  A.  Not  far  from  our  residence. 
And  there  I  observed  the  perfect  control  that  this  man  had  over 
these  two  men ;  they  were  afraid  to  call  their  souls  their  own. 

Q.  One  of  these  men,  you  say,  had  been  your  family  physician  in 
St.  Louis,  and  was  a  man  of  good  standing?  A.  In  good  standing 
and  well  connected. 

Q.  Both  professionally  and  socially?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  he  was  there  working  this  piece  of  land  as  the  servant 
and  follower  of  Howard,  the  plaintiff?  A.  He  did  anything  that 
was  to  be  done;  yes. 

Q.  Those  are  the  facts  that  you  observed  and  became  aware  of 
prior  to  Howard's  leaving  this  country?    A.  Yes,  sir. 


17 


ntact  with 


lose  invita- 
mtrol,  and 
d  was  sup- 
le  later  on, 
that  Price 
d  until  all 
iioney  that 
that  tliese 

d's  hands? 
.  Howard's 
ox  that  he 
I  got  from 

these  men, 
*  A.  They 
liey  had  to 
aey  should 

le  country, 
its  and  fol- 


icalled  him 

Id  master? 

to  do. 
^.  These 
property 
tie  village 

cesidence. 
had  over 

rn. 

;^sician  in 
standing 


servant 
ling  that 

iware  of 


Q.  In  the  spring  of  1891,  Howard  came  to  St.  Ix)uis  and  there  was 
introduced  to  you.  How  did  the  introduction  come  about?  A.  It 
came  about  in  this  way;  Celsus  Price  was  the  son  of  the  famous 
rebel  general  in  Missouri;  he  was  a  man  that  was  very  popular  in 
that  State,  his  father  being  a  very  prominent  man,  and  he  being  a 
colonel  in  the  army,  and  having  been  offered  the  governorship  of 
the  State;  he  stood  very  high.  Howard  had  wasted  all  their  money, 
and  in  order  to  raise  more  money  Howard  wrote  a  lecture,  which 
was  called  "The  Brahmin-Indian  Philosophy."  He  wrote  that  lec- 
ture and  sent  Price  out  to  St.  Louis.  Price  came  to  St.  Louis  one  day 
without  a  moment's  notice  and  stopped  at  a  hotel,  and  announced 
himself  to  the  newspaper  men  that  he  had  come  from  India  and  that 
he  was  going  to  lecture  on  the  Brahmin-Indian  Philosophy.  This 
lecture  proved  to  be  a  failure.  There  were  two  attempts  made  to 
deliver  that  lecture,  and  each  attempt  proved  an  empty  house. 
Then  Howard  came  from  Monti eal  to  St.  Louis;  that  was  in  the 
spring  of  1891. 

Q.  Then  Howard  having  come  to  St.  Louis,  how  did  you  become 
acquainted  with  him?  A.  Celsus  Price  having  been  introduced  into 
our  family,  IVft-s.  Specht  asked  him  to  bring  Howard,  the  Sage  of  Aru, 
to  the  house,  because  she  wanted  to  meet  liim. 

Q.  Howard  having  been  brought  to  the  house,  you,  too,  were  in- 
troduced to  him?  A.  Yes,  sir.  Then  we  knew  him  as  Dr.  G.  S.  How- 
ard.   Before  that  we  knew  him  as  the  Sage  of  Aru. 

«A  CHARITABLE  INSTITUTION. 

Q.  Did  anything  come  out  of  his  introduction  to  you  at  that  time? 
=  A.  Mrs.  Specht  was  enthusiastic  in  religious  work;  she  contributed 
largely  to  charity  and  other  religious  arrangements;  and  she  was 
very  much  interested  in  this  fellow,  because  he  said  that  he  was 
trying  to  organize  an  institution  for  the  purpose  of  helping  mankind; 
healing  the  sick  and  helping  the  poor;  in  other  words,  to  have  a 
charitable  institution  on  a  broad  scale;  that  was  their  mission,  and 
they  were  trying  to  raise  money  to  give  this  institution  a  start. 
And  this  lecture  being  a  failure,  they  were  in  a  very  bad  condition, 
did  not  have  any  means,  and  he  wanted  to  raise  money  to  start 
religious  organizations  which  he  called  his  order. 
Q.  He  told  you  that?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  that  was  the  style  of  conversation  you  had  with  him 
at  that  time;  that  was  the  general  nature  of  the  conversation? 
A.  I  was  naturally  a  little  inquisitive  to  know  what  kind  of  a 
scheme  he  was  working,  and  my  questions  brought  out  those  facts. 

Q.  What  kind  of  a  man  did  you  find  him  at  that  time?  How  did 

he  affect  your  mind  at  that  time?    A.  He  impressed  me  very  favor- 

^ably,  and  he  was  a  man  that  I  would  consider  able  to  deceive  almost 

^any  person  in  the  world,  because  he  was  very  smooth,  seemed  to  be 

^intelligent,  well  versed  in  everything,  and  above  all,  he  was  very 

Idiploraatic  in  everything  he  said;  a  plausible  fellow. 


18 


Q.  Then  the  scheme  that  he  had  was  a  charitable  and  religious 
one?  A.  Yes,  sir;  to  heal  the  sick,  feed  the  poor,  clothe  the  naked 
and  all  that  sort  of  thing. 

Q.  Did  he  then  make  any  solicitations  upon  you  for  money? 
A.  He  said  the  failure  of  his  lecture  would  not  really  have  made 
80  much  difference  if  it  had  not  been  that  he  had  obligated  himself 
to  the  amount  of  |3()0  that  lie  had  to  have  at  once,  and  his  wife 
would  be  put  into  a  very  bad  predicament  unless  the  money  was 
forwarded  to  her.  Of  course,  I  do  not  know  what  the  predicament 
was,  but  I  have  reason  to  think  what  it  was. 


thf 

binl 

Aul 

in  a 


HOWARD  GETS  THREE  HUNDRED  DOLLARS. 

Q.  Then  what  did  you  or  your  wife  do  in  consequence  of  that? 
A.  My  wife  seemed  to  be  struck  very  favorably  with  this  man, 
and  he  of  course  spoke  of  his  occult  science  and  everything  of  tiiat 
kind  that  I  did  not  bother  myself  about,  because  I  was  not  an  occult 
student.  But  at  the  suggestion  of  Mrs.  Specht  I  gave  this  fellow 
$300,  so  as  to  help  him  out  of  his  trouble.  I  gave  him  that  in  cash 
to  please  my  wife. 

Q.  You  gave  Howard,  the  plaintiff,  $300  to  help  him  out  of  liis 
difliculties  at  that  time?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Then  shortly  afterward  he  left  St.  Louis?  A.  Yes,  sir;  he  left 
St.  Louis. 

Q.  Did  yon  know  where  his  home  was  at  that  time?  A.  He  was 
living  in  Montreal,  on  St.  Antoine  street. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  what  time  of  the  spring  it  was  that  he  was 
in  St.  Louis.  Was  it  in  April  or  May?  A.  I  would  have  to  refer  to 
some  papers  for  dates. 

Q.  At  all  events,  it  was  prior  to  June,  1891?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  know  tlsen  that  your  wife  was  in  communication 
with  him  about  that  time  and  after  he  had  left  St.  Louis? 
A.  Yes,  sir; 

A  LETTER  FROM  MONTREAL. 


lit 


Q.  Did  you  ever  see  a  letter  which  your  wife  received  from  him, 
written  while  he  was  in  Montreal,  dated  June  11,  1891?  A.  Yes,  sir. 
This  is  the  original  letter.    She  showed  me  this  letter. 

Said  letter  is  filed  herewith,  marked  Exliibit  No.  5. 

Q.  This  Exhibit  No.  5  was  shown  to  you  by  your  wife  when  she 
received  it?    A,  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  It  closes  thus:  "I  am  your  faithful  friend  and  sponsor," 
without  anything  further?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  this  is  the  letter  in  which  he  says:  "If  I  were  to  refuse 
to  work  for  the  sick  because  tliey  were  unable  to  pay  my  fees  I 
would  stand  condemned  before  the  angels  as  one  who  was  pros- 
tituting my  God-given  powers  for  earthly  gain,  see?"    A.  Yes,  sir. 


I 


19 


nd  religious 
e  the  naked 

for   money? 

have  made 
ited  himself 
nd  his  wife 

money  was 
predicament 


RS. 

ice  of  that? 
I  this  man, 
ling  of  that 
at  an  occult 
this  fellow 
hat  in  cash 

I  out  of  his 

sir;  he  left 

A.  He  was 

hat  he  was 
to  refer  to 

ir. 

nunication 
St.    Louis? 


from  him, 
Yes,  sir. 


when  she 


sponsor, 


Q.  Do  you  know  whether  the  lines  written  along  the  margin  are 
the  plaintiff's  handwriting?    A.  Those  are  in  his  handwriting. 

Q.  After  your  wife  received  that  letter  did  she  speak  to  you  about 
bim  any  more?    A.  My  wife  had  further  communications  from  him. 

Q.  I  show  you  a  letter  signed  ''G.  8.  Howard,"  under  date  of 
August  27,  1891;  is  that  an  original  letter?  A.  This  is  the  orig- 
inal letter  from  Howard  to  my  wife. 

Q.  And  that  mentions  the  necessity  of  having  some  money? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Five  thousand  dollars  is  referred  to.  In  that  letter  he 
speaks  to  your  wife  about  the  necessity  of  having  $5,000;  he  wants 
to  know  how  the  $5,000  will  be  paid  him,  whether  he  is  to  get  it  in 
portions  or  the  whole  of  it  down,  and  the  advantage  it  will  be  to 
him  to  have  the  |5,000  paid  down  at  once?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

(Said  letter  is  tiled  lierewith,  marked  exhibit  No.  0.) 

Q.  After  that  letter  came,  what  was  done?  A.  Tlie  wife 
prevailed  on  me;  she  of  course  thought  this  man  was  an  honest 
nian  and  a  good  man,  and  would  carry  out  what  he  agreed  to  carry 
out,  and  do  what  he  said  he  would  do;  she  said  it  would  afford  her 
great  pleasure 'if  I  would  allow  this  fellow  to  get  a  start;  if  I  would 
give  him  |5,000,  on  her  account.  "Well,"  I  said,  "if  it  makes  vou 
liapi)y  to  make  this  donation,  and  if  the  man  will  carry  out  what 
he  says,  I  have  no  doubt  the  money  will  be  well  spent."  I  agreed 
to  give  him  $5,000,  and  subsequently  1  sent  him  from  St.  Louis  an 
eastern  exchange  draft  for  $1,000,  and  after  that,  later  on  some 
little  while,  I  gave  him  four  sight  drafts  for  $1,000  each,  accepted 
by  me  as  the  president  of  our  company,  to  be  paid  so  many  days 
after  sight,  and  he  got  the  drafts  for  that  money,  $4,000  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  the  $1,000  he  got  in  Missouri. 

Q.  Did  he  come  to  Gunston  before  all  this  money  was  paid? 
A.  This  man  came  to  Gunston  immediately  after  he  got  the  first 
f  1,000  sent  to  him  in  eastern  exchange.  The  wife  and  I  happened 
to  be  in  Gunston  at  that  time  looking  over  the  place;  we  went 
down  there  to  look  at  it  to  see  what  was  to  be  done  with  it.  And 
although  my  wife  had  never  known  him  before  meeting  him  in  St. 
Louis,  she  had  either  written  or  telegraphed  to  him  that  we  were 
down  there,  and  that  she  wanted  him  to  come  down  and  i)ick  out 
some  property  in  the  neighborhood.  So,  lo  and  behold!  the  fellow 
turned  up  before  I  knew  it,  came  walking  up  to  the  door;  and  it 
was  during  his  visit  at  that  time  that  he  got  the  $4,000  in  sight 
drafts. 

Q.  After  that  did  he  remain  there  steadily,  or  did  he  go  back 
to  Montreal? 


to  refuse 
ny  fees  I 
was  pros- 
Yes,  sir. 


TEN  DOLLARS  FOR  A  PROPERTY. 

,  A.  While  he  was  there  he  bought  a  piece  of  property  from 
a  woman  by  the  name  of  Miss  Freeman,  for  the  price  of  $1,000 
cash,    having    then  the    $5,000  in    his  pocket,  as    it  were,    and 


2U 


m 


\k 


ajrrcciri};  to  pay  the  woman  $1,0(10  cash.  There  were  eleven  a»  rc^ 
of  laiul  with  Honic  little  improvements  on  it,  suflflcient  to  make  liln 
comfortable  if  he  wanted  to  start  eeonomieally.  But  instead  o! 
paying;  her  the  $1,000  for  which  he  had  bonj^ht  the  property,  he 
^ave  her  $10  and  thai  is  all  the  money  she  ever  got.  I  think  the 
records  of  the  Fairfax  Court  House  will  probably  show  that. 

Q.  Did  he  <^v{  a  (h'cd  from  her,  do  you  know?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  know  that  as  a  fact?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  he  remain  there  then  continuously?  A.  No,  he  went 
to  Montreal  and  arranj«ed  for  movinf?  down  to  Gunston.  Then  lit 
went  '"nd  came  as  occasion  recjuired  until  they  were  moved. 

Q.  Then  he  settled  down  at  Gunston  in  the  autunm  of  ISOl, 
I  suppose;  would  that  be  about  rij;ht — or  when?  A.  I  should 
think  he  came  down  in  the  autumn  of  ISOl;  that  is  ray  recollection 
at  all  events.  About  this  $10,  I  may  possibly  be  mistaken;  it  mav 
have  been  $20.  However,  the  records  of  the  court-house  will 
show  that. 

Q.  It  was  a  small  sum.  A.  It  was  a  very  small  sum,  and 
so  much  has  hapjx'ned  in  the  meantime  that  I  do  not  want  to  be 
positive  about  it,  thouj?h  I  think  it  was  $10. 

Q.  That  is  near  enoujjjh.  Then  you  think  he  settled  down 
there  in  the  autumn  of  1801.  Did  he  build  a  house  or  was  there  a 
house  on  the  property?  A.  Immediately  after  he  had  bou^'lit 
that  place  he  bou<j;ht  three  horses  and  a  great  big  three  or  four-incli 
tire  farm  wagon,  and  came  down  there  as  if  he  was  going  to  rip 
up  the  whole  country  on  eleven  acres  of  land.  I  said  to  him, 
"Why,  my  friend,  this  is  something  unusual  for  a  man  who  wants  to 
nuike  his  money  go  as  far  as  it  can;  the  idea  of  buying  three  horses! 
You  haven't  good  feed  enough  to  feed  a  cow  with.  And  two  farm 
wagons — a  small  one  and  a  large  one!  Why  do  j^ou  get  all  that 
stock?"  He  had  bought  two  crippled  horses  in  Baltimore  and 
brought  them  there,  with  a  fine  race  horse  for  his  own  personal 
comfort,  to  drivL-  in  a  buggy.  He  says:  "It  is  necessary  for  me  to 
have  these  things  for  my  business."  I  said:  "Your  business  is  not 
farming."  He  said:  "You  know  I  got  the  horses  for  the  elementals 
that  were  in  the  horses,  to  do  my  occult  business." 

CISCO  A  YELLOW  DOG. 

Q.  Had  he  any  other  animals  on  the  farm?  A.  He  had  a  dog 
called  Cisco;  a  dog  that  seemed  to  be  very  valuable.  He  said 
without  that  dog  he  could  not  get  along,  because  he  had  an  elemen- 
tal that  was  very  valuable. 

Q.  What  you  understood  him  to  mean  by  elemental  was 
that  he  had  an  elemental  that  was  part  and  parcel  of  the  work- 
ings of  their  order?  A.  Exactly;  I  suppose  some  spiritual — I 
don't  know  what  he  meant  really ;  of  course  I  had  reason  to  think 
what  he  meant. 


itual 

Q. 
and 

Q. 

181)1,1 
A.  AJ 
Nidell 
Price 
mystt 
ticulal 
cultivl 
eiiiplo| 
they 
of  the 
in  thi 
home, 
of  latl 
■shanty 
of  $5  1 
that  tl 
out  W 
had  c( 
about 
words, 

Q.  T 
actual 
people 
Allen, 
Louis; 
school 
and  th 
all  tha 

Q.  \ 
down 
in  a  cc 
isolate 
develo 
finally 
where 

Q.  \ 
meetin 
Snnda; 
mind 
presse< 
going  i 
Wheth 


21 


eleven  ai  r(>> 
to  make  liiio 
t  instead  of 
property,  be 
I  think  tli( 
I  that. 
!8,  sir. 

*Co,  he  went 
n.  Then  In 
ved. 

nn  of  1891, 
A.  I  should 
recoUection 
ken;  it  niav 
t-houso   will 

1    sum,  and 
want  to  be 

ittlod    dowE 

was  there  a 

had   bou^lit 

or  four-incli 

joing  to  rip 

lid  to   him, 

ho  wants  to 

iree  horses  I 

two  farm 

et  all  that 

timore  and 

'n  personal 

for  me  to 

ness  is  not 

elementals 


had  a  dog 

He  said 
an  elemen- 

?ntal    was 
the  work- 
iritual — I 
to  think 


Q.  He  did  not  explain  it  further  than  that?  A.  Home  spir- 
itual business.     I  suppose  he  meant  the  an i mars  spirits. 

Q.  And  that  was  the  explanation  he  gave  you  about  the  horses 
and  dog?    A.  Ves,  sir. 

Q.  That  was  to  you  personally?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  did  he  do  there?  A.  He  was  there  in  the  autumn  of 
181)1,  and  you  say  he  remained  there  for  some  years  oil"  and  on? 
A.  After  he  had  moved  down  a  little  while,  these  men,  Price  and 
Nidelet,  came  to  Guuston,  and  also  the  brother  of  Price,  QuintuB 
Price;  and  that  trio  were  down  there  and  seemed  to  act  very 
mysteriously,  though  I  couldn't  say  that  they  did  anything  par- 
ticularly; they  did  some  little  pottering  around  on  the  ground, 
cultivated  the  little  land  they  had;  nevertheless,  they  had  a  negro 
employed  to  do  the  rough  work.  When  he  got  this  |5,0()()  he  said 
they  would  use  every  dollar  of  it  judiciously;  that  the  members 
of  the  order,  which  he  claimed  numbered  between  3,000  and  5,000 
in  this  country,  when  they  come  down  there  could  make  it  their 
home,  and  would  go  to  work  and  build  houses  and  do  all  the  work 
of  lathing  and  plastering;  but,  instead  of  that,  he  put  up  a  small 
■shanty  tJiat  he  subsequently  lived  in,  and  hired  a  man  at  $3  or  |4 
of  $5  a  day  to  do  the  work.  When  I  saw  that  I  made  up  my  mind 
that  the  fellow  was  a  fraud.  Then  I  sent  my  boy,  Edward,  who  is 
out  West  now,  to  Montreal  to  get  Howard's  record,  but  the  fellow 
had  covered  up  his  tracks  so  that  I  couldn't  find  out  anything 
about  him,  and  I  waited  for  further  developments.  In  other 
Words,  he  went  back  entirely  on  what  he  had  agreed  to  do. 

'Q.  There  was  an  order;  what  did  they  do — or  had  they  any 
actual  meetings  of  the  people  belonging  to  it?  A.  The  only 
people  I  know  that  belonged  to  the  order  were  a  Mrs.  W.  L.  G.  B. 
Allen,  of  St.  Louis;  my  daughter,  Mrs.  Theodore  A.  Morrey,  of  St. 
Louis;  and  my  wife  and  little  girl  that  is  going  to  boarding- 
school  here  now.  She  was  supposed  to  be  in  the  order  as  well; 
and  then  these  three  men,  the  two  Prices  and  Nidelet.  Those  were 
all  that  belonged  to  the  order,  so  far  as  I  know. 

Q.  What  did  they  do  at  this  so-called  home?  A.  These  men  were 
down  there  for  a  time  and  seemed  to  potter  around.  Nidelet  was 
in  a  cottage  by  himself  that  had  been  rented,  so  that  he  would  be 
isolated,  and  would  not  interfere  with  the  occult  science  and 
development  he  was  making.  They  remained  there  for  a  time  and 
Anally  the  two  Prices  left;  they  were  sent  out  West,  sent  back  home, 
where  they  came  from. 

Q.  When  did  they  hold  meetings  of  their  council?  A.  They  held 
meetings  on  Sunday;  they  seemed  to  have  a  meeting  there  every 
Sunday,  and  my  wife  attended  those  meetings.  I  made  up  my 
mind  that  I  would  find  out  what  that  business  fneant.  I  ex- 
pressed a  desire  to  join  the  order,  just  to  find  out,  to  see  what  was 
going  on ;  and  I  had  occasion  to  be  invited  \:t)  come  to  the  meetings. 
Whether  those  meetings  were  carried  on  dififerently  when  I  was 


'5? 


22 

there  I  do  not  know ;  I  can  simply  say  what  I  saw  when  I  went  to 
the  meetings. 
Q.  About  what  time  was  this  meeting  you  went  to? 

THE  GUNSTON  TEMPLE. 


Bl 


A.  The  meeting  was  supposed  to  be  at  12  o'clock  noon,  because  the 
sun  had  to  be  in  a  certain  position  at  that  hour  in  the  signs  of  the 
zodiajC,  or  else  the  meeting  would  not  be  blessed. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  what  time  of  the  year  that  was  or  what 
year?    A.  I  judge  that  must  have  been  in  1893. 

Q.  Would  you  say  it  was  prior  to  March,  1893?  A.  It  was  prior 
to  Marcli,  1893.  I  attended  a  meeting  at  Gunston  with  my  wife  at 
the  temple — they  called  it  the  temple;  that  was  the  house  he  lived 
in,  a  little  bit  of  a  frame  house  or  shanty. 

Q.  Were  there  many  there?  A.  There  were  present  Sylvester 
L.  Nidelet,  my  wife,  my  little  daughter,  Howard,  and  Howard's  so- 
called  wife.  When  I  attended  those  meetings  the  Prices  had  already 
been  sent  out  West. 

Q.  You  did  not  attend  more  than  one  meeting,  did  you?  A.  I  at- 
tended several  about  that  time. 

Q.  And  these  you  have  named  constituted  the  whole  congrega- 
tion of  people.    A.  That  was  the  congregation. 

Q.  You  may  tell  us  what  took  place  at  the  first  meeting  you  went 
to.  A.  At  the  first  meeting  I  attended,  it  seems  that  the  Sage  of  Aru 
had  to  go  upstairs  to  prepare  himself  for  the  official  services  he  was 
supposed  to  hold  as  the  great  High  Priest.  He  came  down  after  a 
little  while  dressed  in  a  dark  green  robe  made  out  of  Irish  silk,  a 
cheap  affair,  looking  as  if  it  was  home-made,  nothing  gorgeous 
about  it,  and  he  had  a  belt  around  his  waist,  with  a  sword  sticking 
in  his  scabbard;  and  he  had  on  a  little  cap  of  some  kind,  and  he  came 
down  equipped  for  business.  Then  he  turned  his  face  toward  the 
east  where  the  sun  rises  in  the  morning,  took  off  his  shoes,  because 
he  Laid  that  the  Lord  of  High  would  not  allow  any  person  to  wear 
shoes  that  was  praying  or  going  through  the  order,  and  he  mumbled 
something  that  I  didn't  understand;  and  finally  he  read  a  chapter 
out  of  the  Bible,  I  think  it  was  out  of  the  Psalms,  if  I  mistake  not. 
And  this  is  about  all  that  was  done.  He  gave  some  little  talk,  you 
know,  but  I  did  not  think  there  was  anything  very  exhilarating 
about  that. 

Q-  Or  anything  very  wrong  at  that  time?    A.  No,  indeed. 

Q.  You  attended  other  meetings?  A.  I  attended  another  meet 
ing  later  on.  After  he  had  gone  through  the  preliminaries,  he  said 
he  could  not  hold  that  meeting,  because  there  were  too  many  elemen- 
tals  in  the  room;  that  the  room  was  just  full  of  them;  and  he  com- 
menced slashing  his  sword  around  the  room  so  as  to  kill  the  elemen- 
tals.  It  occurred  to  me  that  the  fellow  must  be  crazy,  and  I  said  to 
myself  I  did  not  want  any  more  of  that  religion,  if  it  was  religion. 


el^ 
fir 

juij 


23 


iu  I  went  to 


But  of  course,  out  of  regard  for  my  wife  and  f»r  those  who  were 
present,  I  did  not  say  anything — I  restrained  myself. 


THE  ELEMENTALS  KILLED. 


,  because  the 
signs  of  the 

i^as  or  what 

It  was  prior 
I  my  wife  at 
use  he  lived 

it  Sylvester 
loward's  so- 
had  already 

u?    A.  I  at- 

le  congrega- 

ig  you  went 
^age  of  Aru 
ices  he  was 
wn  after  a 
Tish  silk,  a 
gorgeous 
)rd  sticking 
nd  he  came 
toward  the 
es,  because 
on  to  wear 
le  mumbled 
a  chapter 
stake  not. 
e  talk,  you 
hilaratiug 

|pd. 
her  meet 
es,  he  said 
ny  elemen- 
id  he  com- 
he  elemen- 
I  said  to 
s  religion. 


Q.  Did  tlie  meeting  go  on?  A.  llie  meeting  went  on  after  the 
elementals  had  been  killed;  I  suppose  they  were  lying  all  over  the 
floor,  but  I  didn't  see  any  of  them. 

Q.  After  the  elementals  were  killed,  he  went  on  with  the  meeting 
just  as  before?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  have  any  talk  to  your  wife  about  the  absurdity  of  all 
this  proceeding  at  that  time?  A.  After  I  had  seen  the  absurdity  of 
all  this  business  and  the  way  it  was  carried  on  by  this  man,  instead 
;,of  using  the  money  I  had  donated  for  charitable  and  religious  pur- 
"^  poses,  I  found  that  the  fellow  was  squLudering  it,  and  when  I  asked 
him  where  he  had  put  the  money,  he  said  it  was  none  of  my  business; 
that  he  was  the  head  of  that  order,  and  he  could  do  whatever  he 
had  a  mind  to,  and  nobody  had  any  right  to  ask  questions.  I  said, 
"You  are  not  putting  it  where  you  agreed  to  put  it;  I  don't  see  any 
improvements;  I  don't  see  any  charity  work  going  on  here;  I  don't 
see  any  educational  institution  started."  He  said  that  under  the 
rules  of  their  order  he  had  spent  the  money  properly. 

Q.  Had  you  any  talk  with  your  wife  about  the  absurdity  of  all 
this  proceeding?  A.  I  had.  I  said  to  her,  "Now,  by  the  way,  of 
course  you  know  I  want  you  to  have  all  the  indulgence  possible,  but 
I  am  satisfied  in  my  own  mind  that  the  man  is  a  fraud."  And  then 
I  gave  her  the  reasons  why  he  was  a  fraud,  went  over  his  existence 
during  the  time  he  had  been  there  up  to  the  time  that  I  was  attend- 
ing the  meetings,  and  in  a  reasonable  way  I  convinced  my  wife  that 
this  fellow  was  a  fakir;  that  he  was  a  fraud.  She  immediately  wrote 
a  letter  resigning,  and  told  him  that  she  was  satisfied  in  her  own 
mind  that  she  had  been  deceived,  and  that  his  order  was  not  what 
he  represented  it  to  be;  at  any  rate,  that  it  was  a  one-man  power, 
and  from  that  day  on  she  did  not  want  anything  more  to  do  with  it. 

Q.  Did  she  get  a  letter  from  him?  A.  Her  letter  was  sent  down 
to  him  by  a  messenger.  A  day  or  two  after  that  I  had  business  in 
Washington,  and  during  my  absence  he  wrote  her  this  letter. 

Q.  Did  you  see  the  original  of  this  letter?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  was  the  effect  of  this  letter  upon  your  wife?  A.  Of 
course  I  did  not  know  at  the  time  that  that  letter  had  been  sert  to 
Mrs.  Specht,  because  I  anticipated  her  giving  up  this  business  ac- 
cording to  the  letter  she  had  written. 

Q.  You  thought  she  had  given  it  up  forever?  A.  Entirely,  yes. 
I  found,  however,  that  instead  of  having  given  it  up,  she  still  went 
down  there,  and  I  forbade  her  to  go;  nevertheless  she  did  go.  If  she 
did  not  go  when  I  was  there,  she  went  when  I  was  away. 

Q.  Then  it  was  subsequently  you  found  that  she  had  received  this 
letter?    A.  Yes,  sir. 


24 


Q.  And  the  effect  of  that  upon  her  was,  as  you  say,  that  she 
went  back  upon  her  promise  to  you?    A.  Exactly. 
Q.  And  resumed  her  relations  with  the  order?   A.  Yes,  sir. 

THE  EFFECT  ON  MRS.  SPECHT. 

Q.  What  was  the  effect  of  all  this  upon  your  wife's  mind  and  upon 
her  conduct?  A.  Well,  it  seems  to  me  that  after  she  had  interested 
herself  in  this  myLterious,  so-called  organization,  she  ceased  to  take 
the  interest  in  her  family  that  she  had  formerly  done;  that  she 
ceased  to  look  after  the  welfare  of  the  household;  had  no  interests 
in  the  affairs  of  the  servants,  or  in  her  little  girl,  Adelaide,  about 
thirteen  or  fourteen  years  old.  She  seemed  to  take  it  in  her  head 
that  she  had  to  take  the  Psalms  of  David  and  set  them  to  music, 
and  she  spent  a  great  deal  of  time  in  the  music-room,  at  the 
piano,  tearing  up  the  old  family  Bible  and  trying  to  set  the  Psalms 
of  David  to  music  for  the  order.  Then  she  spent  a  great  deal  of  time 
in  meditation  and  prayer.  She  seemed  to  be  really  earnest  in  doing 
what  she  thought  was  proper  service,  so  much  so  that  I  got  to  be  a 
sort  of  secondary  consideration  in  the  household,  and  seemed  to 
be  a  burden  to  her  rather  than  a  comfort. 

Q.  Did  her  conduct  give  you  any  reason  to  suppose  that  her  mind 
was  affected — I  mean  that  she  was  mentally  deranged?  A.  She 
seemed  to  be  a  woman  that  was  sane  on  everything  else  except 
religion;  on  any  other  point  she  seemed  to  be  just  as  sane  as  any 
person.  But  when  you  touched  her  upon  the  point  of  religion,  she 
was  so  engrossed  in  it  that  she  lost  sight  of  everything  else. 

Q.  When  you  say  religion,  do  you  have  reference  to  religion  gen- 
erally, or  to  the  religion  of  this  order?    A.  To  this  order. 

Q.  During*  the  year  1893  and  up  to  the  year  1894,  what  effect 
had  it  upon  your  wife?  Was  she  becoming  more  and  more  en- 
grossed in  this  matter?  A.  Well,  in  1893  and  1894, 1  was  very  much 
worried  about  Mrs.  Specht.  I  saw  that  the  matter  so  engrossed  her 
that  she  had  lost  sight  of  pleasure  and  comfort  in  everything,  in- 
cluding her  family,  her  boys  and  myself,  her  household  duties,  and 
everything  else.  The  matter  went  on  and  it  seemed  that  Mrs. 
Specht  had  lost  all  her  interest  in  her  family  affairs,  as  I  say.  She 
continued  going  down  to  this  place,  notwithstanding  I  had  forbid- 
den her  to  go,  and  finally  she  told  me  one  night:  "Now,  Joseph, 
you  don't  know  what  good  friends  these  people  are  to  you."  She 
said  the  doctor  had  tcld  her  that  I  was  moving  very  rapidly  toward 
insanity,  and  that  it  would  be  the  duty  of  his  order  to  take  care 
of  me  and  my  affairs,  and  that  he,  Howard,  would  act  as  my  guard- 
ian. Well,  of  course,  I  didn't  know  whether  I  was  going  crazy  or 
not,  but  I  didn't  feel  like  it,  you  know.  So  I  just  told  her  that  I 
was  going  to  see  about  this  business.  I  was  very  much  worried, 
because  she  seemed  to  get  worse  right  along,  and  finally  I  said, 
"I  am  going  to  investigate  this  matter."  He  represented  himself 
to  be  a  man  that  was  descended  from  a  noble  family  of  England, 


M 
■^ 


f^ 
CI 


al 


26 


,  that  she 


sir. 


1  and  upon 

interested 

led  to  take 

;  that  she 

0  interests 
ide,  about 

1  her  head 
to  music, 

m,  at  the 
he  Psalms 
sal  of  time 
it  in  doing 
;ot  to  be  a 
seemed  to 

:  her  mind 
?  A.  She 
se  except 
ne  as  any 
igion,  she 

igion  gen- 

lat  effect 
more  en- 
[ery  much 
lossed  her 
:hing,  in- 
ities,  and 
|hat  Mrs. 
say.  She 
Id  forbid- 
Joseph, 
1."  She 
toward 
ike  care 
guard- 
I  crazy  or 
!r  that  I 
[worried, 
I  said, 
himself 
Ingland, 


■% 


belonging  to  the  Norfolk  branch  of  the  Howards.    He  represented 

himself  as  having  been  a  colonel  of  the  Seventeenth  Lancers  in 

f  the  British  Army.    He  represented  to  me  that  he  was  the  special 

envoy  of  the  Prince  of  Wales  when  the  Prince  came  to  this  country 

•t  in  1861,  or  whenever  it  was. 

■/I 

THE  CANADIAN  PREMIER. 


A.  He  said  that  he  had  possessions  in  Canada,  through  his 
father — several  millions  of  acres  of  land;  that  he  had  been  in 
Canada  hobnobbing  with  the  people  there,  the  Prime  Minister,  and 
so  on.  It  occurred  to  me  that  a  man  that  was  so  prominent  in  all 
parts  of  England  and  Canada,  I  should  have  no  trouble  to  find  out 
all  about. 

Q.  Did  he  say  anything  about  having  an  estate  in  England? 
A.  He  said  they  had  a  baronial  estate,  and  he  was  a  baron  by 
descent,  but  that  while  he  was  an  heir  to  this  baronial  estate  he 
went  to  India,  entered  the  Brahmin-Indian  business,  and  gave  up 
his  heirship  to  his  younger  brother. 

Q.  Did  he  at  that  time  say  anything  about  his  being  the  head  of 
the  order  in  India?  A.  Well,  he  said  this:  That  he  had  been  sent 
here  from  India  by  the  council ;  that  he  was  at  the  h^ad  and  front 
of  everything  in  this  country;  that  he  had  been  ordered  to  open  a 
branch  of  the  Occidental  Brahmin  Indian  Philosophy  near  the 
capital  of  this  nation;  that  he  laid  the  foundation  stone  down 
there  at  Gunston,  and  it  would  remain  there  until  the  world  came 
to  an  end. 

Q.  Did  he  then  mention  to  you  that  he  was  entitled  to  the  desig- 
nation of  Sage  of  Aru?  A.  Oh,  yes;  and  he  said  he  was  the  Prince 
of  Praagaya.  He  said  that  on  his  mother's  side — his  mother  being 
an  Indian  woman  of  the  East,  and  one  of  the  nobility  there,  or 
whatever  you  call  it — he  had  acquired  position  in  the  order;  that 
she  was  a  princess. 

Q.  So  that  his  mother  was  a  princess  of  India,  and  his  father 
was  a  nobleman?  A.  His  father  was  a  baron,  one  of  the  original 
thirty  barons  of  England. 

Q.  What  did  he  say  with  reference  to  the  new  dispensation  he 
was  going  to  inaugurate?  That  is,  he  was  to  be  the  next  spirit 
incarnate,  and  who  was  to  be  the  leader  of  the  new  dispensation? 
Do  you  remember  him  telling  you  anything  about  that?  A.  He 
said  he  was  to  be  the  emissary  that  had  been  out  here  for  the  pup- 
pose  of  bringing  about  the  new  dispensation.  This  daughter  of 
mine  in  St.  Louis  was  about  to  become  a  mother,  and  he  told  her 
that  her  child,  when  born,  was  to  be  the  Christ.  If  it  had  turned 
out  to  be  a  girl,  he  would  have  been  in  a  bad  fix,  but  it  did  turn  out 
to  be  a  boy. 

Q.  These  are  the  things  he  told  you  when  you  had  this  talk  with 
him?    A.  Yes,  sir. 


'•iS 


26 


I  '1' ' 


Q.  You  advised  with  Mr.  Carlisle,  and  upon  his  advice  you  went 
and  saw  Howard,  the  plaintiff?  A.  Upon  his  advice,  I  saw  How- 
ard, the  plaintiff,  in  the  presence  of  my  son  Joseph  A.  I  went  into 
the  little  cottage  he  had — the  temple  so-called — and  he  was  in  the 
temple,  and  when  I  got  into  the  temple  his  wife  very  shortly  came 
in;  my  son  was  there  with  me,  and  he  sat  on  the  sofa.  I  says, 
"Doctor,  I  am  here  to  get  information;  I  have  made  up  my  mind 
that  since  you  have  signified  the  necessity  of  your  being  my  guard- 
ian, and  have  also  stated  to  my  wife  that  I  am  going  insane,  1 
had  better  come  down  here,  and  find  out  who  you  are  before  I  am 
too  far  gone.  Now,.  I  want  you  to  give  me  your  credentials,  and 
give  me  your  references;  if  you  can't  give  me  those  I  will  adopt 
measures  to  get  t^9m  otherwise;  and  if  you  are  not  the  man  you 
represent  yourself  to  be,  I  will  have  you  in  the  penitentiary." 
Howard  turned  pale;  he  sat  on  the  sofa,  put  his  thumbs  in  his 
waistcoat  like  that  (indicating),  and  he  says:  "I  refuse  to  tell  you 
who  I  am,  where  I  came  from,  or  anything  else.''  He  says:  'I  am 
that  I  am."  Then  I  said:  "I  will  attend  to  you  at  once;  I  shall 
go  up  town  to-morrow,  and  shall  institute  proceedings  to  take  care 
of  you." 

DETAINED  MRS.  SPECHT. 


m 
m 


M 
11 
!ii 

I 


ii, 


The  same  day  I  packed  my  grip,  and  got  ready  the  next  morning 
at  boat  time,  and  went  to  Washington.  The  Howards  also  went 
up  there.  I  saw  Carlisle  &  Johnson,  and  those  people  arranged 
to  have  Mrs.  Specht  come  up  there  in  order  to  convince  her  that 
this  man  was  a  fraud  from  evidence  they  had  gained.  I  supposed 
at  that  time  all  I  had  to  do  was  to  go  to  Mrs.  Specht,  not  thinking 
that  she  was  so  engrossed  in  this  thing  that  she  was  beyond  recov- 
ery.   But  she  said  she  would  not  go. 

Q.  Sprague  was  a  lawyer  in  Washington?  A.  Yes,  sir;  a  man 
that  has  since  left  because  of  his  practice  not  being  legitimate. 
Next  morning  I  saw  my  attorneys,  and  they  advised  me  to  retain 
Mrs.  Specht,  not  to  allow  her  to  go  home.  When  I  got  down  to 
the  hotel  to  see  whether  she  had  made  up  her  mind  to  see  my  attor- 
neys or  not,  she  said  no,  she  was  going  home,  had  her  gripsack 
packed  to  go  back  home  to  Gunston.  I  said,  "No,  you  can't  go." 
So  she  went  up  to  her  attorney,  but  was  detained  until  the  boat 
went  away,  and  then  I  went  over  to  see  the  attorneys.  In  the 
■meantime  they  had  told  me  not  to  let  her  out  of  the  room,  and  I 
supposed  I  had  a  perfect  right  to  prevent  my  wife  doing  anything 
that  was  wrong.  Seeing  that  nothing  could  be  done  with  Mrs, 
Specht  to  save  her,  I  had  to  resort  to  heroic  measures  to  save  hep. 
Carlisle  &  Johnson  advised  me  to  get  out  a  writ  of  non  compos 
mentis,  and  hurriedly  they  got  out  a  writ,  so  as  to  cover  the  ground 
quickly.  I  think  this  was  on  Saturday.  When  the  document  had 
been  filed  in  court,  it  was  served  on  both  Mrs.  Specht  and  Sprague, 
who  proved  to  be  the  attorney  for  Mrs.  Specht — she  had  engaged 


you  went 
saw  How- 
went  into 
^as  in  the 
rtly  oame 
.  I  says, 
my  mind 
uy  guard- 
insane,  1 
fore  I  am 
tials,  and 
^ill  adopt 
man  you 
tentiary." 
bs  in  his 
)  tell  you 
s:  -'I  am 
r,  I  shall 
take  care 


27 

him,  as  it  were,  on  the  advice  of  this  Howard — and  in  the  instru- 
ment, of  course,  Howard  was  mentioned  as  an  impostor,  and  every- 
thing of  that  kind. 

Q.  You  saw  the  document?  A.  Yes;  and  I  think  you'll  find  that 
document  on  file  in  the  court  here  now.  It  seems  that  Sprague, 
when  he  was  served  with  this  document,  imediately  rushed  down 
to  the  St.  James  Hotel. 


morning 
^Iso  went 
arranged 
her  that 
supposed 
thinking 
id  recov- 


;  a  man 
itimate. 
0  retain 
down  to 
ly  attor- 
ripsack 
n't  go." 
he  boat 
In  the 
,  and  I 
oything 
h  Mrs. 
.ve  hep. 
|compo8 
ground 
nt  had 
rague, 
gaged 


4 


if; 


M 


CRIMINAL  PROCEEDINGS  AGAINST  THE 
PLAINTIFF  IN  VIRGINIA. 


The  Sage  of  Am  Had  Plenty  of  Cause  to  Flee  the  Country. 


MORE  ABOUT  THE  BRAHMININDIAN  PHILOSOPHY  AND  ITS 

HIGH  PRIEST. 


(Contiuued  from  Yesterday.) 

Special  to  the  Star. 

Perth,  Ont.,  April  28. — The  great  libel  case  of  Howard  ts. 
Graham  continues  to  be  the  talk  of  the  town.  The  comfortable 
court  room  was  crowded  at  the  sittings  with  people  highly  intCT- 
ested  in  the  case. 

The  continuation  of  the  reading  of  the  evidence  taken  by  the 
commission  in  the  United  States  was  followed  with  the  closest 
interest.  Mr.  Osier,  Q.  C,  read  the  questions  as  they  had  been  put 
by  Mr.  Hogg,  Q.  C,  who  represented  the  plaintiffs  at  the  sittings  of 
the  commission  in  Washington  and  Virginia,  and  Mr.  Hogg  him- 
self read  the  answers  as  they  had  been  given  by  the  witnesses. 
The  evidence  of  the  commission  was  very  voluminous,  much  of  it 
was  not  read  to  the  jury  because  the  defense  knew  their  case  was 
strong  enough  without  it,  much  was  voluntarily  not  submitted  by 
the  defense  because  it  was  of  a  hearsay  character.  Mr.  Latchford, 
for  the  plaintiff,  objected  to  a  number  of  questions  because  they 
were  leading  questions. 

His  Lordship  promptly  ruled  that  no  objections  on  those  grounds 
would  be  entertained.  If  the  questions  were  objectionable  they 
should  have  been  objected  to  before  the  commission,  and  the  evi- 
dence required  would  have  been  obtained  by  other  questioning. 
It  was  too  late  to  object  now. 

As  a  matter  of  fact,  the  plaintiff  had  not  been  represented  before 
the  commission.  Notice  had  been  given  the  plaintiffs  of  the  date 
and  place  of  the  sitting  of  the  commission,  and  as  provided  in  the 
commission,  they  were  given  ample  time  to  arrange  to  be  repre- 
sented. The  plaintiff's  local  counsel  gave  the  name  of  Mr.  J.  J. 
Darlington,  an  eminent  member  of  the  Washington  bar,  as  the 
plaintiff's  agent  before  the  commission.  When  the  date  for  the 
sitting  of  the  commission  had  been  arranged,  the  commissioner,  Mr. 
Thornton,  prepared  the  usual  notification  for  the  agent  of  the  plain- 
tiff  and  handed  it  to  a  representative  of  the  Star  to  serve  upon 

28 


29 


THE 

If 

f; 

juntry. 

ND  ITS 

M 

'ard  vs. 

Portable 

y  inter- 

by  the 

closest 

een  put 

ings  of 

..li*: 

:g  bim- 

nesses. 

h  of  it 

■  ,>-«,■■ 

se  was 

ted  by 

^hford. 

e  they 

% 

'ounds 

i  they 

le  evi- 

oning. 

before 

J  date 

n  the 

?epre- 

J.  J. 

?  tlie 

[•  the 

,Mr. 

)lain- 

upon 

Mr.  Darlington,  if  he  chose  to  accept  service  without  the  usual 
formality. 

Mr.  Darlington  said  that  he  would  willingly  accept  service,  but 
not  as  a  commissioner.  He  had  just  received  a  letter  from  Canada 
asking  him  to  act  as  agent  for  a  so-called  Doctor  Howard  in  a  com- 
mission in  a  libel  case,  but  he  had  given  nobody  the  right  to  name 
him  as  their  agent.  He  intended  writing  the  party  from  whom 
he  had  heard  in  Canada,  and  would  send  on  the  notification  served 
upon  him  with  his  positive  refusal  to  act  in  the  case  in  any  capac- 
ity. Mr.  Darlington  added  that  from  what  he  had  heard  of  How- 
ard and  his  doings  he  was  not  the  kind  of  man  he  should  like  to 
represent  in  any  capacity.  Howard's  Canadian  lawyers  were  at 
once  notified  by  telegraph  of  Mr.  Darlington's  refusal  to  act.  Mr. 
Hogg  had  not  then  left  himself  for  Washington,  so  that  there  was 
ample  time  for  the  defendant  to  secure  another  representative,  but 
none  appeared,  though  the  plaintiff's  Canadian  counsel  was  kept 
regularly  informed  of  the  witnesses  it  was  intended  to  examine. 
The  plaintiffs  professed  to  have  little  interest  in  the  commission, 
saving  that  no  evidence  of  any  value  could  be  procured. 

THE  CHIEF  WITNESSES. 

It  was  thought  by  them  that  Mr.  Joseph  Specht  and  the  Rev. 
Joseph  A.  Specht,  his  son,  the  principal  available  witnesses  for 
the  defense,  would  decline  to  testify  from  the  affectionate  regard 
which  still  exists  for  the  deluded  wife  and  mother  and  from  the 
natural  disinclination  of  refined  people  in  high  social,  professional 
and  business  positions  to  restore  to  public  gaze  the  family  skeleton, 
relegated  for  some  years  to  the  retirement  of  the  domestic  cupboard. 
At  first  tliere  was  some  hesitation,  a  disinclination  on  the  part  of 
these  gentlemen  to  give  evidence,  but  as  soon  as  they  saw  that  by 
abstaining  to  testify  they  would  be  doing  an  injustice  to  the  pub- 
lisher of  a  reputable  newspaper,  and  indirectly  to  the  Canadian 
community,  they  cheerfully  accorded  every  assistance  in  their 
power  to  those  engaged  in  working  up  the  case  for  the  defense, 
papers  of  the  greatest  family  interest  being  placed  at  their  disposal. 

Mr.  Joseph  Specht  lives  in  dignified  but  sadly  solitary  comfort  in 
his  beautiful  home  at  Gunston  Hall,  which,  surrounded  by  well 
tilled  fields,  fine  orchards  and  beautiful  and  ample  flower  beds,  is 
situated  on  the  summit  of  a  high  slope  overlooking  the  broad  sur- 
face of  the  placid  Potomac.  The  substantial  and  generously  pro- 
portioned stone  mansion  was  built  early  in  days  when  Virginia 
was  a  loyal  British  colony,  some  of  the  timber,  the  sashes,  etc., 
having  been  imported  from  the  mother  country.  It  is  a  typical 
Southern  "Colonial  home  place,"  with  open  portico  over  the  main 
entrance,  great  open  fanlight  over  the  door  and  with  that  air  of 
substantial  comfort  about  it  which  characterizes  every  one  of  the 
old  historic  homes  of  the  Old  Dominion. 


30 


'i'- 


m 


One  is  reminded  of  the  English  origin  of  the  place  by  the  hedges 
of  box  wood,  the  ivy  climbing  about  the  old  stone  structures  and 
the  fragrant  violets.  The  Gunston  violets  smell  as  many  people 
imagine  only  English  violetc  can.  There  is  a  delightful  air  of 
antiquity  about  the  whole  place.  The  present  proprietor  of  the 
place  has  expended  many  thousands  of  dollars  in  restoring  and 
beautifying  the  place,  but  with  good  taste,  and  a  reverence  for  the 
things  interesting  by  reason  of  their  antiquity,  has  been  careful 
in  adding  to  Gunston  Hall  the  modern  comforts  of  an  up-to-date 
home,  to  avoid  the  least  interference  with  the  original  architec- 
tural style  of  the  historic  mansion.  The  place  looks  about  as  it 
must  have  done  when  the  brainy  author  of  the  Virginia  Bill  of 
Rights,  Colonel  George  Mason,  entertained  his  friend  and  neigh- 
bor, George  Washington,  and  exchanged  jokes  and  sampled  the 
contents  of  the  cool  cellars  with  Thomas  Jefferson  and  General 
Lafayette.  And  the  arrangement  of  the  interior  has  been  inter- 
fered with  as  little  as  possible,  and  the  Washington  room,  which 
was  always  kept  at  the  disposal  of  Mason's  famous  neighbor,  the 
Jefferson  room  and  the  Lafayette  room  are  pointed  out  to  the  vis- 
itor and  allotted  among  his  guests  by  the  hospitable  master  of 
Gunston  Hall  with  evident  pride.  Mr.  Joseph  Specht  is  the  hos- 
pitable host  par  excellence,  well  maintaining  the  high  reputation 
of  the  people  of  Virginia  for  hospitality.  He  will  not  let  his  col- 
ored servants  show  the  guests  under  his  roof  to  their  respective 
rooms,  but  graciously  takes  the  duty  upon  himself  after  the  brief 
family  service  unostentatiously  conducted  by  himself  in  the  hall  is 
over  and  the  evening  glass  of  sparkling  home-made  cider  enjoyed. 
This  tall,  strong,  handsome,  genial  old  gentleman  appears  to  have 
quite  forgotten  in  his  affection  for  Gunston  the  active,  bustling  life 
of  his  twenty  years  of  a  business  career  in  the  "hustling"  city  of  St. 
Lonis,  and  lives  here  in  graceful  repose  the  patriarchal  existence 
of  the  English  country  squire.  The  evidence  produced  at  the  trial, 
no  less  than  the  very  apparent  affection  of  the  whole  neighborhood, 
shows  that  he  takes  a  great  personal  interest  in  the  welfare  of  his 
less  fortunate  neighbors.  One  is  not  surprised  to  learn  that  he  is  a 
restryman  in  tie  local  Episcopal  church.  So  he  lives,  often  run- 
ning up  to  Washington  to  visit  the  delightful  home  of  his  clever 
and  peculiarly  frank  and  manly  son,  the  Rev.  Joseph  A.  Specht, 
but  devoting  most  of  his  time  to  improving  the  Gunston  Hall  estates 
and  doing  good  generally,  in  his  own  unassuming  way,  in  the 
neigbborliood.  There  appears  to  be  but  one  thing  to  keep  him  from 
the  enjoyment  of  complete  happiness.  His  efforts  to  secure  a  hand- 
some competence  have  succeeded  almost  beyond  human  expecta- 
tions, he  has  a  residence  a  prince  might  envy,  a  reputation  among 
his  neighbors  and  business  acquaintances  such  as  very  few  enjoy 
or  deserve  to.  But  she  who  had  been  the  companion  of  his  life  for 
over  twenty-nine  years,  the  mother  of  his  children,  had  left  him  on 
the  very  threshold  of  the  autumn  of  life,  and  has  come  to  reside  in  a 


?v. 


81 


the  hedges 
ctures  and 
mj  people 
ful  air  of 
tor  of  the 
oring  and 
ice  for  the 
?n  careful 
ap-to-date 
!  architeo- 
bout  as  it 
ia  Bill  of 
nd  neigh- 
npled  the 
i  General 
een  inter- 
»m,  whioh 
jlibor,  the 
o  the  vis- 
master  of 
J  the  bos- 
eputation 
!t  his  col- 
[•espective 
the  brief 
he  hall  is 
enjoyed, 
to  have 
tling  life 
ty  of  St. 
existence 
the  trial, 
Dorliood, 
e  of  his 
t  he  is  a 
(^n  run- 
s  clever 
Specht, 
estates 
in  the 
im  from 
a  hand- 
jxpecta- 
among 
enjoy 
life  for 
him  on 
ide  in  a 


V 


small  town  in  Ontario,  leaving  Gunston  Hall  without  a  mistress. 
Here  truly  is  a  pathetic  proof  of  the  fact  that  riches  do  not  always 
bring  happiness. 

MORE  OF  THE  EVIDENCE. 

The  reading  of  the  evidence  of  Mr.  Joseph  Specht  taken  by  the 
commission  in  the  city  of  Washington  was  continued,  as  follows: 

Q.  You  ascertained  that  Howard  left  the  hotel?  A.  That  he 
had  left  the  hotel;  we  did  not  know  that  he  had  gone  out  of  the 
city.  Having  left  Gunston  in  so  big  a  hurry,  I  thought  in  all  prob- 
ability he  would  take  the  early  morning  boat  on  Sunday  lo  go  to 
Gunston  to  get  some  of  his  things.  I  knew  that  he  was  liable  to  skip 
out.  So  1  took  the  early  four  o'clock  train  in  the  morning  to 
Alexandria,  and  got  the  mayor  of  the  city  to  go  to  the  Police 
Department  and  issue  a  warrant  for  this  man  Howard. 

Q.  What  day  was  that?  A.  That  was  on  Sunday  morning,  the 
13th  of  May.  A  boat  left  Washington  at  seven  o'clock  in  the 
morning  and  landed  at  Alexandria,  about  half  an  hour  afterward. 
I  had  with  me  a  lawyer  of  Alexandria  by  the  name  of  Johnson;  I 
think  that  is  the  Johnson  that  was  recommended  to  act  for  the 
other  side.  He  went  with  me  and  drew  the  warrant.  I  don't  know 
whether  he  wrote  it  or  not. 

Q.  He  attended  to  the  matter  for  you  as  your  attorney?  A. 
Yes,  sir.     We  found  that  the  fellow  Howard  was  not  on  board. 

WARRANTS  FOR  HOWARD. 

Q.  I  understand  you  to  say  that  early  on  the  morning  of  the  inth 
of  May  you  had  a  warrant  issued  at  Alexandria  for  the  purpose  of 
intercepting  Howard  on  his  way  down  the  river?  A.  Yes,  sir; 
while  he  was  on  the  boat. 

Q.  This  warrant  was  put  in  the  hands  of  proper  constables?  A. 
Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  he  was  not  found?    A.  He  was  not  on  the  boat. 

Q.  What  did  you  do  then?  A.  The  following  day,  Monday,  I 
went  to  Fairfax  Court  House  and  made  complaint  there  and  swore 
out  a  warrant. 

Q.  Who  attended  to  the  matter  for  you  there?  A.  Mr.  J.  M. 
Love,  who  was  at  that  time  Commonwealth's  Attorney,  drew  up 
the  papers,  and  Mr.  Moore,  my  attorney  over  there,  also  attended  to 
getting  out  the  papers.  That  warrant  was  issued  by  Mr.  John  R. 
Taylor,  under  his  hand  and  seal  as  justice  of  the  peace;  that  is,  I 
judge  so  from  the  papers;  I  did  not  know  the  gentleman's  name. 
Of  course,  it  went  through  the  regular  routine  of  legal  proceedings, 
I  suppose. 

Q.  Who  was  that  warrant  issued  for? 

(Objected  to,  but  objection  overruled.) 


32 


A.  The  warraut  was  issued  so  that  we  could  arrest  Howard  in  the 
State  of  Virginia.  Upon  that  warrant  Mr.  Love  applied  for  a 
requisition  from  the  Governor  of  Virginia,  so  that  we  could  get 
Howard  in  New  York  State. 

Q.  A  re(iuisition  upon  the  Governor  of  New  York  from  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Virginia?  A.  Yes,  sir.  We  found  through  our  detec- 
tive that  the  man  had  located  in  New  York.  We  found  out, 
through  letters  that  had  come  from  him,  that  he  was  in  New  York 
city.  Then  we  had  this  reciuisition  issued  by  the  Governor  of  Vir- 
ginia,  and  \nit  into  the  hands  of  a  detective,  who  went  over  to  New 
York  to  capture  the  enemy,  as  it  were. 

Q.  Do  you  know  why  he  ran  away?  A.  Well,  it  seems  to  me 
that  I  gave  him  plenty  of  reason  to  run  away.  I  told  him  I  would 
put  him  in  the  penitentiary. 

Q.  So  far  as  you  judge,  did  he  know  or  suspect  that  you  were 
about  to  issue  a  warrant  against  him?  A.  1  don't  think  ihat  he 
::a8pected  anything  until  this  non  compos  mentis  document  was 
issued,  and  then  he  saw  that  he  was  included  in  that  as  an  impostor 
and  the  cause  of  all  the  trouble. 

Q.  He  was  therein  stated  as  the  cause  of  the  trouble,  so  far  as  your 
wife's  condition  of  mind  and  her  relationship  with  you  were  con- 
cerned?   A.  Exactlv. 

Q.  After  this  process  in  the  lunacy  proceeding  was  issued,  why 
did  you  issue  these  warrants  then?  A.  Because  the  man  was  a 
thief  and  an  impostor,  and  I  wanted  to  bring  him  to  justice. 

Q.  What  efforts  did  you  make  to  actually  capture  him?  I  have 
partially  told  you.  Before  we  went  to  New  York  I  sent  two  detec- 
tives, I  think  two,  but  I  will  not  be  positive  whether  one  or  two;  I 
think  the  name  of  one  of  the  detectives  was  Tomlinson,  the  one 
was  sent  to  Richmond,  Va.,  to  look  through  the  suburbs  and  coun- 
try places  for  a  family  by  the  name  of  Burnham. 

Q.  You  apparently  used  all  proper  efforts,  did  you,  to  enable  you 
to  arrest  them? 


■'S^ 


11 
11 

el 

tf 


EXTRADITION  PROCEEDINGS  BEGUN. 


;';!^ 


A.  We  made  up  our  minds  to  get  out  extradition  papers  to 
Canada  to  bring  him  back. 

Q.  Whom  did  you  advise  with  as  to  that?  A.  I  advised  with 
Carlisle  &  Johnson  and  with  Mr.  Moore.  We  first  thought  we 
would  have  the  papers  drawn  up  by  the  district  authorities  here. 
But  finally  they  had  a  consultation,  and  they  concluded  that  inas- 
much as  Mrs.  Specht  was  so  persistent  in  adhering  to  her  course, 
that  she  could  not  be  saved;  we  had  better  let  the  fellow  remain 
where  he  was;  it  was  thought  that  in  the  event  of  bringing  him 
back,  while  he  might  get  three  or  four  years  in  the  penitentiary, 
yet  three  or  four  years  would  go  by  very  quickly,  and  then  he  would 
be  footloose  and  ready  to  commit  other  depredations,  whereas  by 


lii 


►ward  in  th<* 
plied  for  a 
L'  ei)uld  {^('t 

•m  the  Gov- 
our  detec- 
found  out, 
I  New  York 
'iioi-  of  \'ir 
ver  to  New 

'ems  to  me 
im  I  would 

t  you  were 
Ilk  tliat  he 
ument  was 
in  impostor 

far  as  your 
I  were  con- 

ssued,  why 
nan  was  a 
ice. 

a?    I  have 
two  detec- 

or  two;  I 
n,  the  one 

and  coun- 

mable  you 


papers  to 

ised  with 
)ught  we 
Ities  here, 
that  inas- 
?r  course, 
remain 
nng  him 
itentiary, 
Ihe  would 
lereas  by 


33 


leaving  him  in  Canada,  he  was  out  of  the  country  and  could  do  no 
harm. 

Q.  So  that  the  extradition  proceedings,  then,  were  stopped  on  that 
account?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Hut  as  a  nuitter  of  fact,  extradition  proceedings  were  actually 
commenced?  A.  The  attorneys  were  preparing  to  get  out  extra- 
dition papers,  but  after  consultation  they  advised  as  I  have  stated. 

(Objected  to.) 

Q.  r'oliowing  up  Mrs.  Specht  for  a  moment:  Howard  left  Wash- 
ington on  the  night  of  the  12th  of  May  or  on  the  morning  of  the 
13th  of  May?    A.  Some  time  in  that  period. 

Q.  And  you  subsequently  heard  he  was  in  Montreal?  A.  I 
employed  a  great  deal  of  detective  talent,  such  as  it  was,  to  ascer- 
tain where  he  was;  I  was  very  anxious  to  find  out  where  the  fellow 
was.  His  wife  was  still  here,  and  I  had  his  wife  shadowed  to  try 
to  find  out  where  she  was  sending  her  communications,  and  we 
found  that  he  was  located  in  Montreal,  on  some  street,  the  name 
of  which  I  forget,  under  the  name  of  Wilson.  I  forget  the  first 
name. 

Q.  What  became  of  the  property,  the  house  and  furniture  and 
things  of  that  kind,  tliat  he  left  there?  Did  he  send  anybody  to 
look  after  it?  He  did  not  come  himself,  of  course?  A.  Such  prop- 
erty as  he  had  at  Gunston  was,  as  the  court  records  at  Fairfax 
Court  House  will  show,  assigned  to  this  man  Sprague,  and  he  had 
control  of  all  that  property;  he  lived  there  for  a  time  and  they 
moved  the  property  from  time  to  time;  I  don't  know  what  became 
.  of  it;  I  did  not  keep  track  of  it. 

Q.  You  had  nothing  to  do  with  it?  A.  No,  sir;  I  had  nothing  to 
do  WMth  it.    Sprague  had  charge  of  it. 

Q.  You  did  not  take  possession  of  it  at  all?  A.  No,  sir.  But  after 
HoAvard  had  skipped  I  went  down  and  saw  his  wife  specially,  and 
told  her  I  would  give  her  twenty-four  hours  to  leave  that  place; 
that  if  she  did  not  leave  within  twenty-four  hours  1  would  have 
ber  put  in  the  county  gaol,  because  I  consideret'  her  an  accomplice. 
She  was  an  impostor.  I  knew  she  was  not  his  wife,  and  I  told  her 
she  would  have  to  go  or  else  I  would  put  her  in  gaol.  She  left  in  a 
big  hurry. 

Q.  That  brings  us  to  May  12,  1894.  What  became  of  Mrs.  Specht 
after  the  12th  of  May,  1894?  A.  Well,  Mrs.  Specht  had  this  non 
compos  mentis  action  brought  against  her  and  that  matter  was 
tried,  I  think,  before  Judge  Cox.  Having  made  an  investigation 
of  her  attorney — this  man  Sprague — I  found  that  he  was  a  man  of 
bad  repute,  and  was  not  a  safe  man  to  be  allowed  to  look  after  my 
wife's  affairs.  I  suggested  to  my  attorneys  that  they  have  the  court 
appoint  an  additional  attorney  for  my  wife,  a  good  attorney,  a  man 
of  fine  repute  in  this  city,  to  take  care  of  her  interests  in  the  matter, 
and  the  judge,  by  the  consent  of  Sprague,  appointed  Judge  Wilson 
as  an  additional  attorney.  Then  I  felt  perfectly  safe,  and  I  think 
subsequently  Mr.  Thornton  was  also  engaged  to  represent  her,  and 


m 


34 

between  these  two  reputable  attorneyH  and  that  scoundrel  the  mat- 
ter was  adjusted  in  some  way,  and  she  came  down  and  lived  at 
(lUiislon  aj^ain.  The  jud;;e  told  her  that  she  must  behave  herself; 
that  if  she  did  she  would  not  have  any  trouble,  \  believe,  and  she 
aj,'reed  to  come  back  under  certain  conditions.  1  was  to  give  her 
some  little  allov.ance,  wliich  was  agreed  upon,  and  slie  came  back 
and  stayed  there  a  while.  In  the  meantime  she  went  out  to  St. 
Louis.  Tiiis  daughter  of  mine  was  about  to  be  contined,  and  my 
wife  asl<('d  if  1  would  not  allow  her  to  go  out  and  take  care  of  our 
daughter  during  her  confinement.  I  said,  certainly,  and  she  went 
out  to  look  after  this  child,  taking  her  younger  daughter  with  her. 
I  forgot  to  state,  though,  that  this  married  daughter  I  am  referring 
to  was  alTected  similai-ly  with  her  mother;  she  also  believed  in  this 
fake  religion.  Uut  under  tlie  circumstances,  for  humanity's  sake, 
I  could  not  keej)  uiy  wife  from  going  on  an  occasion  of  that  kind. 
While  T  disliked  her  to  go,  it  seemed  to  me  that  it  would  be  no  more 
than  right  that  she  should;  that  I  would  take  all  the  chances,  and 
she  went.  After  the  baby  had  been  born  and  was  old  enough  to 
travel,  our  daughter,  Mrs.  Morey,  came  on  with  tl:e  baby  to  Gunston, 
and  they  seemed  to  get  along  very  nicely.  One  evening  I  sat  in 
my  room  in  a  rocking-chair  smoking  a  cigar,  Mrs.  Specht  talking 
about  her  religious  affairs,  and  I  told  her  that  there  was  no  occasion 
for  anything  of  that  kind;  that  this  nmtter  had  been  settled. 

(Objected  to,  but  objection  overruled.) 

She  said:  "Yes,  there  is;  because  you  have  robbed  me  of  my 
religion  and  my  master'' — having  reference  to  Howard,  T  suppose. 
And  she  says,  "I  am  living  a  life  of  prostitution  with  you,  and  I 
have  been  your  concubine  for  29  years." 

PARTING  OF  THE  WAYS. 

I  then  told  her  that  I  thought  the  parting  of  the  ways  had  come; 
that  she  should  never  occupy  my  bed  again  as  long  as  she  lived, and  I 
ordered  her  to  go  into  another  bedroom.  Then  she  stayed  there  for 
some  little  while  longer.  I  felt  sorry,  thinking  that  tlie  poor  woman 
was  not  responsible,  and  the  next  day  T  apologized  to  her,  thinking 
that  I  had  no  business  to  talk  to  a  person  in  a  manner  I  had  talked 
to  her,  because  she  really  was  not  responsible;  that  she  had  been 
hypnotized  or  something  had  been  done  to  her  to  make  her  irrespon- 
sible; and  it  occurred  to  me  that  the  best  thing  that  I  could  do 
was  to  get  a  diversion  for  her.  No,  T  think  I  am  going  a  little  too 
fast.  These  are  all  facts  I  am  telling  you,  but  there  is  another  fact 
coming  before  that  that  I  omitted.  Yes,  before  Mrs.  Specht  ran 
away  she  went  to  St.  Louis.  I  used  to  be  in  the  city  of  Washing- 
ton a  good  deal,  and  one  time  when  I  returned  home  she  had  packed 
her  trunk  and  left  by  the  early  morning  train,  and  I  found  she  was 
in  St.  Louis.  She  had  made  up  her  mind  that  she  could  not  live  with 
me,  I  suppose,  on  account  of  what  had  happened. 

Q.  Did  she  go  alone?     A.  She  went  with  this  little  daughter. 


3S 


'1  the  mat- 
tl  lived  at 
f^  herself; 
e,  and  she 
)  };ive  her 
a  me  back 
out  to  St. 
1,  and  my 
are  of  our 
she  went 
with  her. 
I  referring 
'ed  in  tiiis 
itj's  sake, 
that  kind. 
le  no  more 
mces,  and 
enough  to 
>  Gnnston, 
;  I  sat  Id 
it  talking 
[)  occasion 
3d. 

ne  of  my 

suppose. 

ou.  and  T 


Slie  was  out  there  for  quite  a  while;  leinained  (here,  as  I  said,  long 
enough  to  liave  this  conflncnicnl  take  place.  After  the  continement 
.  she  came  home.  Thinking  a  change  of  dinuite  would  do  her  good, 
I  Bent  her  up  to  the  mountains  with  my  married  daughter,  who 
was  down  then;  at  (Junston,  and  accomjtanied  by  our  youngest 
daughter.  She  remained  in  the  mountains  during  the  summer,  and 
when  the  season  of  August  came  I  said  to  her,  "The  best  thing  you 
can  do  is  to  go  to  Atlantic  City  and  (Inish  the  season  at  th<  sea- 
shore." I  thought  that  by  having  iicr  there,  where  slu?  would  see 
a  great  many  people  in  society  and  where  there  was  a  good  deal 
of  excitement,  this  nuitter  would  work  oil".  She  went  to  Atlantic 
.City  and  remained  there  until  the  season  was  over  and  it  was  time 
to  come  back  for  the  young  lady  to  go  to  school.  When  she  returned 
Bhe  stopped  at  the  National  iJotel  in  Washington,  and  I  came  up 
,;to  s^'<^  ^*-'^'*  ^I't?  said  before  going  home  she  would  like  to  locate 
•  in  Washington  for  the  winter,  occupy  flats  here,  so  that  we  could 
live  here  during  the  unpleasant  season  of  the  year,  and  live  in  the 
country  during  the  pleasant  seas<»n  of  the  year.  I  advertised  for 
flats,  and  received  a  large  i)ackage  of  applications,  and  wiicn  I 
presented  those  answers  to  her  she  looked  at  two  or  three  of  them, 
and  deliberately  tiirew  the  balance  of  them  on  the  floor,  saying 
she  thought  they  did  not  amount  to  anything;  that  they  were  a  lot 
of  trash.  I  got  a  telegram  from  St.  Louis  in  consequence  of  which 
I  was  obliged  to  go  out  there  on  some  very  important  business.  I 
was  gone  for  a  week  or  ten  days.  I  told  her  before  going  that  she 
could  remain  at  the  hotel  until  I  came  back,  or  else  she  could  go  to 
Gunston  and  stay  there  until  I  returned. 


SHE  RAN  AWAY. 


ad  come; 

red,  and  I 

there  for 

r  woman 

thinking 

id  talked 

lad  been 

irrespon- 

could  do 

ittle  too 

her  fact 

cht  ran 

Vashing- 

packed 

she  was 

ive  with 

lughter. 


When  I  returned  she  was  not  at  the  hotel;  she  had  left  a  note 
saying  that  she  had  moved  to  the  house  of  an  employee  in  one  of 
those  Government  departments;  that  she  had  a  room  there  and 
wanted  to  live  there.    In  other  words,  she  ran  away  from  me.    Right 
after  the  child  was  born — what  I  am  saying  now  came  in  between — 
she  got  employment  in  a  dry  goods  store  in  St.  Louis.    She  had  run 
away  again  from  me  and  would  not  come  back  for  reasocs  of  her 
own.    Of  course  I  provided  her  with  necessary  funds,  through  my 
'  son-in-law,  who  is  out  there,  fearing  that  the  money  I  might  send 
to  her  she  would  send  to  this  fakir  in  Canada.    She  seemed  to  think 
I  had  forsaken  her  entirely  and  hired  out  to  go  into  a  shop.    There 
she  was,  a  woman  that  stood  high  in  society,  entertained  largely, 
I  just  as  well  known  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  as  President  Cleveland  is  here 
>  in   Washington,   and   to  bring  this   disgrace   upon   the   family;   I 
'thought  I  would  make  any  sacrifice  to  try  to  bring  her  around. 
I  went  out  and  arranged  that  she  was  to  get  a  certain  amount  of 
,)   money  per  month,  which  she  could  use  as  she  had  a  mind  to.     I 
&then  told  her  the  best  thing  we  could  do  was  to  make  a  trip  to  Ber- 
muda, and  we  made  a  trip  to  Bermuda.    I  gave  her  all  the  comforts 


■iM^ 


'^1 


If 


Ml] 


36 


I 


that  it  was  possible  for  a  person  to  have  under  such  circumstances, 
thinking  that  a  diversion  and  a  change  of  climate  would  do  her 
good.  But  we  had  been  over  there  only  a  very  short  time  when  she 
commenced  to  cry  and  get  hysterics,  saying  that  I  robbed  her  of 
her  religion  jmd  her  lord  and  master.  So  it  was  the  same  old  story. 
Finally,  when  she  left  the  National  Hotel  the  last  time,  she  went 
to  the  house,  as  I  said,  of  an  employee  of  one  of  the  Government  de- 
partments, and  there  she  got  typhoid  fever.  I  was  notified  th^it  she 
had  been  taken  sick  with  typhoid  fever.  I  immediately  packed 
my  things  and  came  up  and  told  her  I  was  ready  to  stand  by  her 
and  take  care  of  her  in  the  best  way  possible.  I  engaged  a  profes- 
sional nurse  at  |25  a  wecl:,  and  physicians  of  the  best  talent  to  be 
had  in  the  city,  thinking  that  after  a  severe  spell  of  sickness  of  that 
kind  she  might  come  to  her  senses.  But  after  she  had  got  con- 
valescent, I  found  she  was  as  badly  inclined  as  before;  that  she  still 
hankered  for  Howard  and  his  religious  fake  business.  When  she 
was  strong  enough  she  and  I  had  a  meeting,  and  I  told  her  I  had 
made  up  my  mind  that  she  would  have  to  choose  between  me  and 
Howard;  that  I  could  not  stand  this  kind  of  business  any  longer; 
that  if  a  woman  ran  away  from  her  liusband  three  or  four  times 
and  brought  suits  for  divorce  and  such  things,  incurring  expenses 
in  hiring  attorneys,  I  got  tired  of  it,  and  put  it  in  thrt  way;  that 
she  would  have  to  take  her  choice,  and  I  gave  her  so  many  days  to 
do  it;  and  she  selected  Howard. 

DEED  OF  SEPARATION. 

Q.  And  then  did  you  have  a  deed  of  separation  drawn  up,  or  was 
there  an  agreement  of  some  kind  made?  A.  We  had  a  deed  of  sep- 
aration drawn  up.    She  got  her  attorney  and  I  got  mine. 

Q.  And  then  you  provided  her  with  |15()  a  month?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Which  you  are  still  paying  her?  A.  Yes,  sir;  promptly  every 
month. 

Q.  Having  it  sent  to  her  at  Carleton  Place,  in  Ontario,  Canada? 
A.  The  Washington  Lojni  and  Trust  Company  is  the  trustee,  and 
they  send  her  every  month  a  check  or  draft  for  $ir)0  to  Carleton 
Place.  Those  drafts  I  have  examined,  after  being  cancelled,  and 
they  are  all  indorsed  by  G.  S.  Howard,  and  so  I  judge  that  he  is  get- 
ting the  best  part  of  it. 

Q.  Had  Mrs.  Specht  given  her  diar.onds  to  those  people?  (How- 
ard and  wif'\)  A.  Unbeknown  to  me  she  had  given  her  diamonds 
to  Howard — her  diamond  brooch  and  ear-rlngS,  worth  from  $1,200 
to  11,300. 

Q.  At  all  events,  Mrs.  Specht  gave  the  brooch  and  the  ear-rings 
to  Howard?    A.  Yes,  so  she  says — without  consulting  me. 

Q.  And  subsequently  you  discovered  that  they  liad  been  pawned? 
A.  She  told  me  so  when  they  came  back. 

Q.  Wlio  told  you?  A.  Mrs.  Specht  told  me  she  had  given  them 
to  those  people,  and  Howard  admitted  to  me  that  he  had  pawned 
them  in  New  Y^ork  for  $500. 


I 

•I 


mmstances, 
uld  do  her 
e  when  she 
►bed  her  of 
e  old  story. 
i,  she  weut 
Tnment  de- 
ed th{\f  she 
ely  packed 
and  by  her 
(d  a  profes- 
alent  to  be 
less  of  that 
d  got  con- 
at  she  still 
When  she 
her  I  had 
en  me  and 
ny  longer; 
four  times 
g  expenses 
way;  that 
ny  days  to 


up,  or  was 
ed  of  sep- 

.  Yes,  sir. 
ptly  every 

Canada? 

istee,  and 
Carleton 

^lled,  and 
he  is  get- 

?  (How- 
diamonds 
)m  $1,200 

ear-rings 

pawned? 

ven  them 
pawned 


37 

Q.  About  March  8,  1894,  he  admitted  to  you  that  he  had  pawned 
them  in  New  York?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  he  say  how  much  he  had  got?    A.  Five  hundred  dollars. 

Q.  Did  he  say  with  whom  he  had  pawned  them?  A.  No,  he  did 
not. 

Q.  But  you  discovered  afterward  that  they  were  pawned  with 
R.  Simpson  &  Co.,  of  195  Bowery,  New  York?  •  A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  x\nd  you  got  the  actual  pawn  ticket?  A.  I  got  the  actual 
notice  and  the  envelope  that  it  came  in.  Subsequent  to  this  Mrs. 
Specht,  being  a  woman  of  society  in  St.  Louis,  and  having  a  very 
elegant  wardrobe,  dresses  and  lots  of  things  woriu  many  hundred 
dollars,  she  deliberately  packed  up  all  her  things  that  were  beauti- 
ful and  sent  them  to  Washington  city,  to  Sloan's  auction-rooms, 
and  had  them  sold,  and  turned  the  proceeds  over  to  this  fakir,  so 
that  it  left  her  without  nothing  except  ordinary  things;  everything 
that  was  fine  and  desirable,  and  that  a  wom.an  loves  and  appreciates, 
she  disposed  of,  and  gave  the  proceeds  to  Howard,  who  took  them, 
of  course. 

Q.  How  did  you  happen  to  get  this  notice?  A.  That  notice  was 
found  in  this  house,  when  it  was  cleaned  up,  after  they  had  moved 
out. 

Q.  Was  it  in  this  envelope.    A.  Yes,  sir;  in  that  envelope. 

(Said  envelope  and  notice  are  filed,.marked  Exhibit  No.  10.) 

Q.  That  corroborates  just  wiiat  Howard  told  you  himself?  A.  Yes, 
sir. 

ANOTHER  LIBEL  ACTION. 

Q.  In  the  year  1897,  Howard  brought  an  action  against  you  in 
Ontario  for  alleged  libel?    A.  Y'ns.  sir. 

Q.  And  according  to  the  recoius  e  obtained  a  judgment  against 
you  for  $10,000?    A.  So  1  am  told. 

Q.  That  judgment  was  obtained  by  default;  that  is,  you  made 
no  appearance  in  court  and  put  in  no  answer?    A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Why  did  you  take  that  course?  A.  The  man  might  just  as 
well  have  sued  me  in  Africa  as  to  sue  me  in  Canada. 

Q.  You  were  served  with  a  writ  or  notice?  A.  Yes,  sir;  and  I 
referred  the  matter  to  my  attorney,  who  thought  it  over  very  care- 
fully, and  he  advised  lue  not  to  notice  the  suit  at  all,  because  How- 
ard could  get  no  execution  that  would  affect  me  here.  And  besides, 
Howard  knew  just  as  well  as  I  did  that  the  case  would  not  amount 
to  anything  so  far  as  execution  was  concerLed.  He  simply  brought 
it  so  as  to  keep  me  out  of  Canada,  because  he  thought  I  might 
prosecute  him  there  and  bring  him  to  justice. 

Q.  Acting  upon  the  advice  f  your  attorney  here  you  abstained 
from  tnking  any  notice  of  thai  action?    A.  Yes,  sli. 

Q.  Who  was  it  advised  you?  A.  Mr.  R.  Walton  Moo  ,  a  regular 
attorney  in  Fairfax  County,  Va. 

Q.  Anyone  else?    A,  No,  pir. 


38 


Q.  You  did  not  consult  Carlisle  &  Johnson?    A.  N(    sir. 

Q.  And  yoa  followed  Mr.  Moore's  advice?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  mentioned  a  ladv  br  the  name  of  Mrs.  L.  G.  W.  Allen;  she 
proiessed  to  follow  Howard;  is  that  what  I  understand?  A.  She 
was  also  one  of  his  victims.  She  believes  in  Howard,  so  much  so 
that  she  ran  away  from  her  husband  in  order  to  join  Howard.  Her 
husband  objected  to  her  having  anything  to  do  with  Howard  and 
his  gang,  as  he  called  them,  but  she  ran  away  from  her  husband  and 
came  to  where  Howard  lived,  down  near  Gunston,  and  said  to  him 
that  she  had  left  her  husband;  that  she  wanted  to  live  with  him; 
wanted  to  be  his  wife — now  my  wife  told  me  that — and  he  said 


i;5; 


UlrN.  Howard,  ^tket<'li«4l  iii  the  I'oiirtr  Kooin. 

that  he  already  had  a  wife;  but  slie  said,  "Under  your  order  you 
can  take  just  as  many  wives  as  you  want."  Afterward  Allen  came 
down  and  took  her  back,  and  she  now  lives  in  New  York, 

Q.  Does  she  not  live  with  her  husband?  A.  Yes,  sir;  with  her 
husband  in  New  York. 

Q.  When  you  say  that  Mrs.  Allen  was  one  of  his  victims,  you  mean 
it  in  a  sense  of  running  away  from  her  husband  and  following  How- 
ard? A.  It  was  in  the  sense  tliat  she  contributed  all  the  money  she 
had  to  Howard,  and  all  that  she  could  borrow. 

Q.  How  do  you  know  that  fact?  A.  Because  Mrs.  Allen  herself 
told  me  that  she  had  borrowed  money. 


3U 


r. 

.  Allen ;  she 
i?  A.  She 
30  much  so 
ward.  Her 
toward  and 
isband  and 
jaid  to  him 
with  him; 
nd  he  said 


Ji'der  you 
leu  came 

with  her 

you  mean 
ing  How- 
oney  she 


Q.  At  all  events,  you  understand  that  she  contributed  money  to 
him?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Referring  to  the  influence  that  Howard  seemed  to  have  over 
your  wife  and  those  other  persons,  such  as  Price,  Nidelet,  and  Mrs. 
Allen,  tliere  may  be  a  great  many  others  you  do  not  know  about; 
you  know  of  those,  at  all  events?  A.  Yes,  sir.  I  know  of  those,  but 
1  have  never  heard  of  others,  and  have  no  reason  to  think  there 
were  others. 

HAS  HYPNOTIC  POWER. 

Q.  To  what  do  you  attribute  that  power  of  his  over  persons  he 
comes  in  contact  with,  tending  to  ruin  their  lives? 

(Objected  to,  but  objection  overruled.) 

A.  I  have  had  the  opportunity  of  being  with  How:ird  myself  more 
or  less,  and  1  must  say  that  there  is  something  about  that  fellow  that 
has  a  sort  of  influence  over  a  person.  I  know  that  he  had  some  in- 
fluence over  me.  He  had  a  strong  will  power,  but  I  made  up  my 
mind  to  fight  him  off.  From  my  observation,  I  had  no  doubt  that 
that  man  has  what  is  termed  hypnotic  power — that  is,  he  can  hyp- 
notize people. 

Q.  Sway  them  according  to  his  desire?  A.  Yes,  sir;  because  had 
1  given  away  myself,  had  I  not  conquered  myself,  I  know  that  I 
would  have  been  carried  away  by  it.  He  is  a  man  that  has  some- 
thing, I  don't  know  what  it  is. 

Q.  To  sum  up:  The  result  of  his  introduction  to  you  and  your 
wife  at  Uuuston  was  that  Howard  obtained  $5,000  in  cash  from  you 
and  obtained  these  jewels  from  your  wife.  What  else  did  he  obtain 
from  Mrs.  Specht  besides  the  |5,000  and  the  jewels?  A.  He  ob- 
tained much  of  the  money  that  I  gave  her  to  expend  on  her  own  per- 
son and  on  the  person  of  her  daughter.  She  had  an  allowance  of 
|25  a  month ;  that  I  gave  Mrs.  Specht,  and  that  she  gave  to  Howard. 
Tlien  he  got  |300  from  me  in  St.  Louis  and  he  got  several  hundred 
dollars  at  different  times  afterward.  The  total  amount  of  money 
he  obtained  would  probably  aggregate  between  |8,000  and  |10,000. 

Q.  Altogether  he  got  between  |8,000  and  |10,000  from  you  and 
your  wife?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  The  reason  then  why  you  sojght  to  arrest  him  was  that  he 
was  obtaining  this  money,  how?  A.  The  man  represented  himself 
to  be  a  religious  man,  a  man  that  was  going  to  open  a  charitable 
institution  to  help  tite  sick  and  poor,  and  to  treat  them  without 
charge,  and  do  good  to  mankind  in  general.  All  that  he  failed  to 
do.  He  failed  to  spend  or  use  the  money  for  any  purpose  that  he  got 
it  for. 

Q.  Would  you  have  advanc(*d  any  money  to  him  had  you  known 
what  he  was  going  to  do  with  it,  as  a  matter  of  fact?  A.  Not  one 
dollar. 


n  herself 


V*f 


40 


Q.  Were  you  induced  to  advance  this  money  by  the  representa- 
tions he  made? 

(Objected  to,  but  objection  overruled.) 

A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Then  the  money  was  advanced  to  him  through  your  wife,  some 
of  it,  and  some  of  it  directly  by  yourself?  A.  To  settle  that  part  of 
it,  my  wife  had  no  mc.-iey  of  her  own. 

Q.  Some  of  it  was  given  by  her;  she  was  the  medium  of  it  getting 
into  his  hands?     A.  Yes;  but  she  had  no  money. 

Q.  It  was  then  given  to  him  in  consequence  of  the  representations 
which  he  made,  and  these  representations  induced  you  to  give  the 
money?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  find  these  representations  of  his  to  be  entirely  untrue? 
A.  Entirely  untrue. 

Q.  And  it  was  in  consequence,  then,  o^'  the  misrepresentations 
that  he  made  to  you  tliat  you  applied  for  and  got  out  that  warrant? 

(Objected  to,  but  objection  overruled.) 

A.  Decidedly. 

Q.  Stating  only  the  $5,000  and  the  jewels;  you  did  not  mention 
the  other  amounts  at  that  time?  A.  I  thought  that  was  suflQcient 
to  bring  him  to  justice,  and  the  balance  would  have  been  brought 
out  when  his  trial  came  off. 


S 


'Cu 


>.\ 


m 


{3^^*^mh9»''. 


ii^ 


epreseuta- 


wife,  some 
lat  part  of 

it  getting 

sentationa 
)  give  the 

y  untrue? 

sentationa 
warrant? 


t  mention 

suflBcient 

brought 


SIPERHIMAN   POWERS 


Sways  People  According  to  His  Desire. 


LETTERS  TRANSMITTED  WITHOUT  HUMAN   AGENCIES. 


Claimed  Unlimited  Wealtii— But  it  was  against  tFie  Rules  of 
the  Order  to  give  any  Money  out  of  tine  Treasury— Each 
Country  must  put  up  the  Cash  for  Itself. 


Tuesday,  March  22,  1898. 
Met  pursuant  to  adjournment  in  parlor  19,  Metropolitan  Hotel, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Mr.  Hogg,  representing  the  defendants,  being  present,  no  repre- 
sentative appearing  for  the  plaintiff. 

At  the  suggestion  of  defendants'  counsel,  and  by  consent  of  the 
commissioner,  the  further  taking  of  evidence  to-day  is  transferred 
jto  344  D  street,  at  the  oflSce  of  Aaron  Johns,  in  said  Washington, 
notice  having  been  left  at  the  Metropolitan  Hotel  office  for  any  per- 
son inquiring  with  reference  to  the  same. 

Joseph  Specht  resumed  the  witness  stand,  and  his  testimony  was 
ontinued  as  follows: 
By  Mr.  Hogg: 
Q.  Mr.  Specht,  with  reference  to  the  $5,000  which  you  mentioned 
esterday  as  having  been  paid  over  to  the  plaintiff  in  the  month  of 
August,  1891,  I  understand  that  the  request  for  $5,000  came  from 
^our  wife?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  She  desired  to  give  Howard  $5,000?  A.  Yes,  sir. 
Q.  And  upon  her  request  you  paid  ^he  $5,000  for  her,  and  on  her 
ehalf?  A.  Yes,  sir. 
'0  Q.  Then  as  far  as  you  yourself  were  concerned,  I  suppose  you 
?||would  not  have  paid  that  $5,000  personally?  A.  Well.  I,  of  course, 
ft)eing  in  communication  with  Howard,  and  he  setting  forth  the  ob- 
l^ect  and  purpose  he  had  in  view,  which  has  been  stated  heretofore, 
"^elt  that  perhaps,  to  gratify  Mrs.  S])echt,  it  would  be  a  good  thing 
^or  humanity  and  everything  of  that  kind,  and  that  T  would  give  it, 
because  Mrs.  Specht  was  inclined  to  be  charitable  and  pay  out 
omoney  for  s^ich  institutions. 

-    Q.  Is  it  a  fact  that  it  was  a  gift  by  you  to  her  for  that  purpose? 
|A.  Well,  T  don't  know  how  to  put  that  exactly.    Of  course,  I  paid 


4   1 


I 

(■  hi 

ii:    'III 


42 

the  money  over  to  this  inaii  Howard,  ai:i1  aid  it  because  Mrs.  Specht 
requested  me  to  do  so;  and  of  course,  before  paying  it,  I  bore  in 
mind  the  purpose  that  the  money  was  to  be  used  for,  and  for  that 
reason  I  paid  it  to  the  man. 

Q.  To  further  illustrate  the  influence  that  plaintiff  had  over  yom 
wife  was  there  a  will  made  by  her  at  any  time  in  his  favor? 
A.  Theio  was  a  will  made  by  Mrs.  Specht  while  she  was  in  the  cit} 
of  St.  Louis  with  her  married  daughter  in  the  early  part  of  1894,  I 

think. 

Q.  It  was  a  will  of  certain  property?  A.  Yes,  sir;  the  GunstoL 
Hall  property  and  the  Ben  Venue  property. 

Q.  She  devised  the  Gunston  Hall  property  to  him?    A.  By  this 

will,  yes. 

Q.  Who  -vas  appointed  guardian?  A.  Howard  was  appointed 
guardian  and  trustee  of  my  youngest  daughter,  to  whom  my  wife 
bequeathed  the  Ben  Venue  property;  the  Ben  Venue  was  be- 
queathed to  that  youngest  daughter. 

Q.  Then  she  ignored  the  other  three  children?  A.  Yes,  sir;  it  ajt 
peared  that  the  eldest  daughter  had  signed  the  will  as  a  witness. 

And  further  this  deponent  saith  not. 

MR.  SPECHT,  JR. 

Joseph  A.  Specht,  a  witness  called  on  behalf  of  the  defendant d, 
having  been  duly  sworn,  testified  as  follows: 
By  Mr.  Hogg: 

Q.  Where  do  you  reside,  Mr.  Specht?    A.  In  Washington,  D.  U. 

Q.  What  is  your  avocation  in  life?  A.  Clergyman  in  the  Episco 
pal  Church. 

Q.  Lately  called  to  holy  orders?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  since?    A.  Three  months  ago. 

Q.  Where  did  you  pursue  your  studies  for  the  ministry?  A.  Ai 
the  Theological  Seminary,  in  Virginia. 

Q.  For  how  long?    A.  A  little  over  three  years,  and  then  a  year' 
in  Washington. 

Q.  That  was  about  four  years  ago?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  are  a  son  of  the  preceding  witness,  Mr.  Joseph  Specht? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  The  eldest  son.     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  have  lived  with  your  father  and  mother  most  of  your 
life,  I  suppose?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  At  St.  Louis  first?    A.  At  St.  Louis  first;  yes. 

Q.  Then  your  family  consisted  of  your  father  and  mother  and 
how  many  children?    A.  Two  boys  and  two  girls. 

Q.  That  is,  yourself,  your  brother,  Mrs.  Morrey  and  Adelaide 
Specht?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  old  are  you?    A.  I  will  be  28  the  28th  of  March. 

Q.  Then  you  will  rememh-^r  ^he  condition  of  your  family,  family 


■:«, 


48 


Mrs.  Specht 
t,  I  bore  in 
nd  for  that 

d  over  youi 

his  favor? 

1  in  the  cit} 

■t  of  1894,  I 

he  GunstoD 

A.  By  this 

appointed 
im  my  wife 
ue  was  be 

3,  sir;  it  ap'  | 
witness. 


defendants, 


on,  D.  C. 
the  Episco 


ry'^    A.  At 
then  a  year 

ph  Specht? 

)st  of  your 

ttother  and 

i  Adelaide 

ch. 

lily,  family 


ties,  and  its  position  generally,  for  a  good  many  years  past?    A. 

Yes,  sir. 

r  Q.  In  St.  Louis  what  was  the  condition  of  the  family?  A.  At 
^hat  time? 

i   Q.  Prior  to  1891?    A.  Well,  there  seemed  to  be  a  great  deal  of 

harmony  amongst  the  members  of  our  family;  but  my  mother  was 
^Interested  in  philosophical  matters,  esoteric  religions,  and  things 

|ike  that,  before  she  met  this  man  Howard;  she  was  carried  away 
^y  things  of  that  sort  under  the  belief  that  her  mind  was  so  con- 
iltituted  that  she  could  develop  in  ways  that  other  minds  could  not. 


nrs.  Allon  in  the  Box. 

'    Q.  Did  that  effect  to  any  appreciable  extent  your  harmony  as  a 

lamily?     A.  It  did  in  this  way;  that  she  was  engaged  in  literary 

^Ibbors,  writing  a  good  deal,  and  consequently  gradually  gave  up 

rciety. 
,    Q.  Then  in  1891  she  met  Howard?     A.  Yes,  but  she  had  corre- 
^iponded  with  him  previously  to  that. 

'*§  Q.  But  she  met  Howard  in  1891?    A.  I  am  not  sure  that  it  was 
1891.     I  think  it  was  1890. 

Q.  It  has  appeared  in  the  evidence  that  it  was  in  1891.  A.  Let  me 
Ihink  to  be  sure  about  the  date.  (A  pause.)  Yes,  it  was  in  the 
Ipring  of  1891. 

'  Q.  Did  Howard  come  to  St.  Louis?    A.  Yes,  sir. 
'  Q.  And  there  met  your  mother  and  father? 


■'^ 


n 


44 


SUPERHUMAN  POWERS. 


A.  Yes,  sir;  but  she  did  not  identify  him  as  the  man  with  whom 
she  had  been  corresponding  until  he  made  himself  known.  In  hia 
correspondence  with  her  he  signed  himself  the  "Sage  of  Aru;"  and 
the  letters  were  supposed  to  come  through  a  mysterious  channel. 
1  remember  the  tirst  letter  that  my  mother  received:  it  had  a  lotus 
flower  in  it,  and  she  told  me  that  the  letter  had  come  without  any 
human  agency  whatsoever;  that  by  virtue  oi"  superhuman  powers 
they  could  send  a  letter  from  the  Himalaya  Mountains  to  St.  Louia 
in  a  very  few  hours,  and  she  seemed  to  be  very  much  impressed 
with  it.  '  That  letter  was  written,  I  think,  in  1890,  or  1889,  while 
the  Prices  were  away.  My  mother  had  a  sort  of  conception  that 
he  (Howard)  was  some  great  sage  or  something,  because  at  different 
times  she  turned  my  brother  and  myself  out  of  our  rooms  because 
he  was  a  great  man.  He  came  up  there,  and  she  treated  him  like 
he  was  a  god,  and  if  she  did  not  send  us  away,  she  would  make  us 
tip-toe  around  and  things  of  that  sort.  But  after  that  he  revealed 
himself  to  her  as  the  Sage  of  Aru. 

Q.  Was  he  known  at  that  time  by  that  title?  A.  No;  he  went 
under  the  name  of  Howard. 

Q.  But  your  mother  understood  him,  then,  as  being  the  Sage  of 
Aru?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  she  address  him  in  that  way?    A.  No,  she  did  not, 

Q.  Except  in  written  communications?  A.  Well,  I  don't  know 
that  she  ever  addressed  him  in  that  way  in  communications.  But 
she  may  have,  I  don't  remember. 

Q.  There  is  one  letter  showing  that  she  did?  A.  Oh,  yes;  I 
know  she  frequently  addressed  him  as  master;  that  was  another 
one  of  his  titles. 

Q.  "Rev.  and  Respected  Master,  the  Sage  of  Aru?"  A.  Yes, 
that  is  the  way. 

Q.  That  is  the  way  your  mother  addressed  him?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  That  was  in  the  spring  of  1891?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  did  he  remain  there,  do  you  remember?  A.  He 
remained  two  or  three  weeks. 

Q.  Living  at  the  hotel  in  St.  Louis?     A.  No,  sir;  at  our  house. 

Q.  Do  yon  know  anything  about  the  adherents  they  got  at  St. 
Louis?     A.  Oh,  they  got  quite  a  number  of  society  women. 

Q.  Did  they  get  any  men  over  and  above  Price  and  Nidelet?  A. 
No,  sir;  he  told  my  mother  at  first  that  all  that  he  wanted  was  to 
get  a  number  of  prominent  ladies  interested  in  the  work,  to  form 
a  class  for  instruction;  and  if  I  recollect  properly,  they  came  to  our 
house  frequently  and  had  meetings  in  the  afternoons. 

Q.  At  your  mother's  house?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  the  appearance  of  Howard  then  create  any  sensation 
among  the  people  there,  or  was  it  just  among  the  few  ladies?  A. 
It  created  a  sensation  in  this  way:  at  the  fact  of  Mr.  Price  being 


'"^ 


with  whom 
wn.  In  his 
Aru;"  aud 
•us  channel, 
had  a  lotus 
without  any 
nan  powers 
to  St.  Louis 
I  impressed 
1889,  while 
ieptiou  that 
at  different 
ms  because 
ed  him  like 
lid  make  us 
he  revealed 

o;  he  went 

the  Sage  of 

not. 

don't  know 
itions.     But 

Oh,  yes;  I 
ms  another 

•"    A.  Yes, 

fes,  sir. 

ir?    A.  He 

'  house, 
got  at  St 
en. 

Idelet?  A. 
ted  was  to 
•k,  to  form 
ame  to  our 


sensation 
adies?  A. 
•rice  being 


associated  with  him  and  the  fact  that  Mr.  Price  was  lecturing. 
Howard  would  write  lectures  and  Price  would  read  them.  Then 
l>e  was  interviewed  by  the  reporters  and  they  laid  out  the  work. 

AN   EXTRAORDINARY  MAN. 

Q.  What  was  the  nature  of  his  conduct?  A.  He  struck  me  then 
as  an  extraordinary  man,  and  a  man  of  very  high  character.  He 
was  a  smooth  talker,  very  imjjressive  in  his  bearing,  and  very 
gentle;  and  I  should  say  a  man  as  to  whom  any  one  coming  to  him 
it  first  would  say,  "There  is  a  noble  man."  He  was  well  up  in 
llectro-therapeutics;  I  don't  know  where  he  learned  it,  but  he 
ipeemed  to  be  well  versed.  My  mother  was  rather  nervous,  and  he 
did  really  help  her.  Then  he  brought  out  his  scheme  of  founding 
l^n  institution  for  the  education  of  doctors — he  called  them  doctor- 
jbriests;  every  priest  was  supposed  to  be  a  doctor;  and  in  that  way 
fhey  would  benefit  mankind  and  humanity  in  general. 
I  Q.  You  believed  he  was  a  doctor?  A.  Yes,  sir. 
i;  Q.  Then  did  he  leave  without  any  further  declanition  of  his 
intentions,  or  was  it  then  arranged  that  he  should  establish  this 

'  j|nstitution?  A.  It  was  then  arranged.  He  said  it  was  the  object  of 
|he  order;  that  he  had  unlimited  wealth,  millions,  to  establish  the 
|vork,  as  he  called  it,  in  this  country;  but  that  it  was  against  the 

^^ule  of  the  order  to  give  any  money  out  of  the  treasury;  that  each 
Country  was  to  start  the  thing  itself;  that  he  was  looking  round  for 
lome  one  who  would  give  it  a  start;  and  he  laid  great  stress  upon 
•|he  great  things  that  would  devolve  upon  the  family  through  help- 

!?!|ng  him.  Then  my  mother  offered  to  give  $5,000,  with  the  permis- 
sion of  my  father.  I  do  not  know  what  conversation  she  had  with 
father  about  it,  but  I  know  that  she  did  promise  that,  and  with 
lather's  consent.     And  there  is  one  thing  that  I  might  explain  that 

■%ould  justify  my  father  in  what  he  did,  and  which  I  do  not  think 

'§10  explained,  and  that  is  the  fact  that  my  mother  is  a  woman  of 
tinusual  mind;  she  is  a  literary  woman,  and  my  father,  being  a 
business  man,  looked  up  to  her  as  a  superior  woman  and  allowed 
her  to  arrange  all  the  household  affairs  and  things  like  that  as  she 
Jiked,  so  that  tliey  did  not  interfere  with  his  business.  He  seemed 
to  believe  fully  that  she  had  superior  wisdom  in  those  things.  So 
that  when  she  proposed  this  gift  of  $5,000  he,  believing  so  thor- 

.Oughly  in  her  capacity  and  her  superior  v/isdom,  naturally  agreed 
to  do  what  she  wished,  according  to  the  representations  of  her  and 
Howard. 

f   Q.  Did  Howard  at  that  time  make  any  representations  as  to  his 

'%ast  career?     A.  No,  he  did  not,  to  my  knowledge. 

'>    Q.  Did  he,  so  far  as  you  know,  state  where  he  had  come  from? 

J  A.  No,  sir;  that  is  a  mystery,  excepting  that  he  was  living  in 
'IMo.ntreal  at  that  time.  He  seemed  to  like  to  throw  an  air  of 
Invsterv  about  himself. 


wrr 


46 


Q.  And,  I  suppose,  constantly  kept  that  air  of  mystery  about  him? 
A.  Yes,  sir;  he  did. 

Q.  He  left,  you  say,  at  the  end  of  about  three  weeks,  so  far  as 
you  know?  A.  Yes;  but  he  didn't  have  money  to  go  away  with, 
and  I  know  father  had  to  give  him  |5()l)  or  |GUO;  he  did  that  the 
same  as  he  would  help  any  ]>reacher,  for  father  was  always  very 
charitable  to  ministers. 

Q.  So  he  helped  him  in  that  way,  by  giving  him  the  money  to 
take  hinj  awav  from  St.  Louiy? 


A. 


KEGAKDEl)  AS  A  FKIEST. 


M! 


A.  Yes,  sir;  my  idea,  and  father's  and  mother's  idea,  was  the 
same — we  looked  upon  him  almost  the  sauie  as  a  clergyman  or 
priest  in  any  church. 

Q.  What  WPS  the  next  you  heard  of  him?  A.  The  next  I  heard 
of  him  was  when  I  went  to  Montreal.  1  can  tell  you  exactly  when 
that  was;  it  was  at  the  June  races,  the  latter  i>arit  of  June  or  early 
part  of  July,  1891.  I  know  I  got  into  some  scrape  and  my  father 
was  very  angry  about  it  and  refused  to  have  anything  to  do  with 
me,  and  mother  said  to  me,  ''Well,  wliy  don't  you  go  to  Dr.  How- 
ard?" I  said:  "Co  to  Dr.  Howard,  for  what?"  She  said:  "Go 
there  and  study  medicine  under  him."  W^ell,  I  thought  of  the 
man  then  as  a  suj)erior  man,  and  thought  he  might  do  me  some 
good.  So  I  made  up  my  mind  that  if  his  religion  was  what  he  rep- 
resented it  to  be  I  would  become  a  neophyte,  and  not  only  study 
medicine  with  him,  but  become  one  of  his  men.  So  I  went  to 
Montreal,  and  the  day  I  arrived  there — I  had  not  previously  com- 
municated with  him  to  tell  him  that  I  was  coming,  and  I  don't 
know  whether  my  mother  had,  but  I  arrived  at  his  residence,  209 
St.  Antoine  street,  and  the  girl  admitted  me,  and  soon  Howard 
came  in  and  said:  "I  have  been  expecting  you.  Your  room  is 
prepared,"  with  an  air  of  mystery.  So  I  did  not  say  anything  to 
him,  and  he  asked  me  to  meet  his  wife;  I  had  not  met  her  before. 
She  came  and  looked  at  me,  and  after  she  went  out  he  very  kindly 
told  me  that  she  liked  me,  and  that  the  influences  around  me  were 
very  good,  with  the  exception  of  one  of  my  ancestors,  who  was 
driving  me  to  drink,  but  that  a  few  months  under  his  care  would 
totally  eliminate  that  evil  influence. 

Q.  How  long  did  you  remain  in  Montreal?  A.  I  stayea  there 
four  months. 

Q.  During  that  time  what  did  you  do,  so  far  as  he  was  con- 
cerned? A.  For  the  first  two  or  three  months  I  studied  chemistry 
under  him,  but  I  found  him  to  be  inconsistent,  not  only  in  his 
teachings,  but  in  his  life;  and  then  I  ceased  to  believe  in  him.  My 
idol  was  shattered,  and  I  just  looked  upon  him  as  a  scoundrel. 

Q.  In  what  respect  were  you  disappointed  in  his  conduct? 


..^;j?3»ta.afe'«wS?wi'*»-»»*»^~*"^-"---  ■ 


■!*» 


47 


about  him? 

I,  so  far  as 
siway  with, 
id  that  the 
I  ways  very 

'  money  to 


I,  was  the 
'gyman  or 

xt  I  heard 
Lctly  when 
iG  or  eail_y 
my  father 
:o  do  with 

Dr.  How- 
aid:  "Go 
:ht  of  the 

me  some 
lat  he  rep- 
>nly  study 
[  went  to 
•usly  com- 
d  I  don't 
lence,  209 
1  Howard 
:•  room  is 
ything  to 
er  before, 
fry  kindly 
1  me  were 
who  was 
ire  would 

yea  there 

was  con- 
ihemistry 
ly  in  his 
lim.  My 
irel. 


HOWARD  ON  DUCKS. 

"A.  I  found  him  to  be  a  liar.  To  give  you  an  example,  aud  to 
lAow  you  how  he  was  looked  upon  as  others  in  the  house,  QuintuB 
IJUce  was  there  later  on;  Mrs.  Howard  looked  upou  him  before 
ate  as  if  he  were  a  god  and  not  a  man.  I  never  did,  I  must  say 
Ifeat.     One  day  he  was  talking  about  ducks,  aud  claimed  to  be  a 

feat  shooter.  He  was  always  very  ready  to  impart  information 
me,  aud  he  said  to  mo,  "Joseph,  you  know  that  the  canvas-back 
ick  is  the  male  mallard."  1  said,  "You  are  mistaken;  they  are  a 
stinct  species.''     He  said,  "No,  it  is  not  a  distinct  species/'     I 

f'lid,  "I  will  leave  it  to  Webster."     So  1  looked  it  up  iu  the  dic- 
onary  and  found  that  he  was  mistaken.     Then  he  deliberately 
forned  round  and  said  Webster  was  wrong.     So  that  settled  it  with 

?e. 
ji  Q-  W'as  there  anything  else  in  his  conduct?  A.  I  know  in  hie 
Histructions  in  chemistry  he  Would  say  one  thing  one  day,  aud 
ifterward  deny  that  he  had  said  it.  So  I  threw  up  the  study  of 
^emistry  under  him,  and  told  him  I  would  not  study  under  a  man 
yhen  I  had  lost  my  respect  for  him. 

>  Q.  How   long   were   you    there   altogether?      A.    Four    months, 

|»robably  longer.     As  the  four  months  came  toward  a  close  I  wrote 

|o  my  father  that  I  did  not  believe  in  the  man,  and  not  to  send 

pirn  any  more  money;  that  he  was  a  scoundrel,  and  was  trying  to 

■fheat  him;    that  he   did  not    have    any    religion.      He    could    not 

Iet  a  decent  servant  to  work  for  him.  He  told  me  at  one  tiiue 
bat  if  any  one  drank  whisky  in  his  house  the  elementals,  the 
^il  forces,  would  come  around  him,  he  was  so  sensitive,  aud 
Worry  him,  and  in  that  way  he  could  tell  when  anyone  was 
drinking  whisky.  But  while  I  was  there  he  had  a  woman  who  was 
drunk  all  the  time,  and  he  did  not  know  it.  So  that  I  found  that 
jie  was  a  liar.  Then  he  told  me  also  that  he  could  sit  downstairs 
jehen  I  would  be  writing  a  letter  upstairs,  and  he  could  tell  me 
jlXactly  what  I  had  written.  I  suppose  he  did  that  in  order  to 
ieep  me  from  writing  what  I  thought  about  him,  but  that  did  not 
(Jeter  me.     He  left  Montreal  before  I  did. 

Q.  Then  you  had  a  very  good  opportunity  to  study  the  man's 
ciiaracter  during  those  four  months?     A.  Yes,  sir. 


WAS  A  HYPNOTIST. 


^  Q.  The  conclusion  you  came  to  was  that  he  was  a  hypnotist?    A. 

%e  never  influenced  me  except  at  first.  After  I  lived  in  his  house 
-Jt  began  to  suspect  him.     Quintus  Price,  the  man  who  was  there 

^ith  me,  struck  me  as  a  man  who  had  lost  his  entire  will  power; 
'  %e  was  just  like  a  child;  was  extremely  nervous,  and  I  used  to 
[.  .^heat  him  like  a  baby.  I  brought  him  and  Mr.  Howard's  dog  down 
f  i^  Gunston  when  I  came,  and  T  had  more  trouble  with  the  man 

ttian  I  had  with  the  dog. 


if. 


I 
i 


Q.  You  left  Montreal  in  what  mouth?  A.  It  was  in  the  (p"  of 
the  year,  because  1  remember  1  got  some  heavy  clothing.  It  .-dt 
have  beeu  in  October  that  I  left,  but  he  left  a  month  before  that. 

Q.  Then  wh(?re  did  you  go?  A.  I  wrote  my  father  that  1  did  not 
cure  (o  stay  with  him  any  mOre.  Howard  having  left,  contem- 
plating moving  to  (Juuston;  he  had  gone  down  there  to  look  after 
things  and  straighten  up,  so  as  to  move  the  furniture  and  things, 
and  all  the  time  he  was  away  the  people  were  coming  to  (he  house 
trying  to  collect  money  that  he  owed  them,  and  Mrs.  Howard  had 
the  burden  to  bear.  Inasmuch  as  I  was  a  guest  in  the  house  at 
that  time,  and  inasniuch  as  I  thought  he  was  doing  this  work  for 
his  love  of  me,  altliougli  my  father  was  sending  him  a  hundred 
dollars  a  month  for  my  board  and  tuition — and  the  board  was  bad 
enough — but  feeling  that  I  was  a  guest  in  the  house,  I  volunteered 
to  stay  there  and  pack  his  medicines  and  everything  he  had,  so  as  to 
relieve  Mrs.  Howard  of  so  much  trouble  in  getting  ready  to  move 
to  (lunston.  Then  she  suggested  that  I  take  Cisco,  the  dog,  whicli 
was  considered  to  be  very  valuable  and  prized  by  Dr.  Howard,  and 
Quintus  Trice  down  with  me  and  look  aft<M'  them.  So  I  did.  This 
was  in  October. 

Q.  Howard  came  to  Gunston,  and,  according  to  the  evidence, 
went  backward  and  forward  once  or  twice  before  he  eventually  set 
tied  in  (Junston;  that  is,  went  back  to  Montreal,  apparently,  once 
or  twice,  and  then  settled  in  Gunston.  Was  he  settled  when  you 
got  there?  A.  He  was  settled  when  I  got  ther^  They  had  one 
little  cottage,  and  I  remember  that  when  I  ar  ^  there,  I  of 
course  went  to  his  house,  having  been  his  guest,  and  spent  the  first 
night  with  him;  and  he  was  frightened  to  death  when  I  told 
him  I  was  going  to  Gunston  Hall;  and  he  said  to  me — I  re- 
member his  ex.act  words — he  says:  "Joseph,  if  you  will 
take  my  advice,  you  will  never  cross  the  Gunston  Hall  line.''  Some 
time  previous  to  my  going  there — I  got  this  from  the  neighbors — 
he  had  stated  that  I  was  a  drunkard,  a  wild  Western  cow^boy,  and 
he  was  going  to  reform  me;  that  my  father  had  placed  me  in  his 
care,  and  he  was  going  to  take  care  of  me.  So,  naturally,  when  I 
got  down  there  at  the  wharf  the  people  just  crowded  there  to  see 
me.  I  didn't  know  why  they  were  all  there.  I  had  on  a  big  hat, 
and  if  I  had  known  what  they  expected,  I  would  have  had  a  gun 
with  me  and  fired  it  off.  But  I  didn't  know  that.  I  was  the  most 
peaceable  man  in  the  world,  and  everybody  watched  me,  but  I 
didn't  do  anything  that  was  unusual,  and  went  up  to  the  house. 

SAW  HIS  SCHEME  THEN. 

He  had  told  my  mother  that  I  was  one  of  the  elect;  that  it  was 
predestinated  that  I  should  be  made  one  of  the  priests  of  the  order. 
I  saw  his  scheme  then.  His  scheme  was  to  get  my  mother  and  to 
get  me,  and  then  he  thought  if  he  got  my  mother  and  myself,  he 
would  have  no  trou.ble  in  getting. my  father. 


,## 


v^*« 


the  fr"  of 
.  It  --dt 
re  that, 
t  1  (lid  not 
't,  contem- 
look  after 
iiid  things, 
I  (he  hoUHB 
owai'tl  had 
e  house  at 
a  work  for 
a  hundred 
d  was  bad 
olunteered 
id,  !so  as  to 
ly  to  move 
llo<^^  whicli 
)ward,  and 
did.     This 

!  evidence, 

itually  set 

iitl.v,  once 

when  you 

y  had  one 

here,  I  of 

tit  the  first 

len  I    told 

nie — I    re- 

you     will 

le.''    Some 

eighbors — 

►wboy,  and 

me  in  his 

ly,  when  I 

lere  to  see 

a  big  hat, 

had  a  guD 

s  the  most 

me,  but  I 

house. 


hat  it  wae 
the  order, 
ler  and  to 
nyself,  he 


HOWARD'S  PECULIAR  AND  MARKED  OB 
JECTION  TO  BEING  SKETCHED. 


The  Plaintiff  and  His  Friends  Attract  Attention  in  the  Court. 


THE  EXAMINATION   OF  HOWARD  ON    DISCOVERY— HE   RE- 
FUSES TO   ANSWER  MANY   QUESTIONS  -HIS   OWN 
VERSION  OF  HIS  DOINGS  AND  FLIGHT. 


Ur.  a.  S.  Howard,  Mkel<^li«>«l  l».r  tlio  MIhf'm  Npocial  ArtiHl  at. 

the  Trial. 

(Continued  from  Yesterday. 

^Special  to  the  Star. 

■  Perth,  Out.,  April  29. — The  crowds  of  people  who  thronged  the 
court  room  here  during  the  famous  Brahmo  philosopho-mummery 
trial  had  plenty  to  interest  them  in  the  evidence,  but  none  of  the 
revelations,  sad,  grotesque,  blasphemous  or  merely  scandalous,  had 
more  interest  for  the  spectators,  who  hemmed  in  the  court  constables 

^  4ft 


50 


^ 


i.M 


1 


IP 


i;; 

I 


I 

K 


to  such  an  extent  that  they  were  completely  incapacitated  for  per- 
forming their  duties,  than  the  plaintiff  Howard  and  his  party. 

At  each  sitting  of  the  court:,  Howard,  stalwart  and  apparently 
unconcerned,  his  broad,  but  slightly  stooping  shoulders  and  splen 
didly  shaped  'head  towering  above  the  heads  of  everybody  else, 
quietly  walked  into  court,  followed  by  four  ladies,  the  youngest  of 
whom  was  accompanied  by  a  perfect  cherub  of  a  fat-faced,  rosy- 
cheeked,  golden-haired  little  lad  of  about  five.  It  was  a  party  tluit 
would  attract  universal  attention  on  St.  James  street,  for  they  were 
unquestionably  a  distinguished  looking  lot.  Howard,  himself,  is  a 
man  to  delight  the  eye  of  the  artist,  face,  figure  and  bearing  being 
singularly  nearly  attaining  the  ideal,  the  ideal  of  the  sage  and 
philosopher  rather  than  the  dashing  cavalry  one  would  look  for  and 
certainly  find  in  a  retired  commanding  officer  of  the  17th  Lancers, 
"The  Duke  of  Cambridge's  Own,"  or  "Death  or  Glory  Boys."  But 
for  a  rather  heavv  streak  of  grev  in  what  was  once  a  coal  black 
beard  he  might  pass  for  a  man  of  not  over  forty.  He  is  probably 
nearer  sixty.  His  classical, clean-cut  face,  with  its  large  and  a(iuillne 
nose,  with  thinly  chiselled  and  sensitive  nostrils,  shows  neither  hol- 
low nor  wrinkle.  But  those  who  knorv  Howard  say  that  the  charm 
about  him  is  his  voice,  which  is  soft,  low  and  well  modulated.  It 
is  a  pleasure  they  say  to  hear  him  speak,  and  as  the  mood  seizes 
him  his  brown  eyes  melt  into  a  deep  black,  full  of  mystery,  or  flash 
with  a  fire  that  makes  a  weaker  will  quail  before  him.  He  is  mon* 
than  magnetic — there  is  a  fascination  in  his  presence  which  may 
or  may  not  be  attributed  to  occult  powers.  But  materialists  in  this 
materialistic  age  naturally  regard  the  claims  made  as  to  his  occult 
powers  with  cynicism  and  suspicion. 

Howard  was  plainly  though  comfortably  enough  attired,  and 
by  his  dress  might  easily  have  been  taken  for  a  country  preacher. 
He  wore  an  overcoat  all  the  time  in  court,  though  most  of  those 
who  were  present  found  the  temperature  rather  uncomfortably 
warm.  He  always  walks  into  the  court  room  ahead  of  his  female 
companions,  and  they  sat  down  alongside  of  him  in  the  available 
seats  near  the  front  of  the  court. 


MORE  COMMISSION  EVIDENCE. 


I 


The  reading  of  the  evidence  of  Kev.  Joseph  Specht,  taken  before 
the  commission,  was  continued. 

Q.  Now,  coming  down  to  Ounston  and  his  terms  there,  did  you 
ever  see  any  of  tlie  mysterious  document  which  Howard  pretended 
to  have?  A.  Yes,  he  sIiow^hI  me  some  one  day.  I  had  always  heard 
that  the  highest  degree  a  mason  could  take  was  the  33rd  degree,  but 
he  showed  me  some  degrees — they  were  supposed  to  be  degrees— 
that  went  as  high  as  17t)  and  away  up  there,  which  could  only  be  ob- 
tained in  the  East,  and  he  made  out  charts  for  me  and  everybody. 

Q.  You  mean  horoscopes,  like  these  (exhibiting)?    A.  Yes.  sir. 

Q.  Have  you  got  one  that  he  made  for  you?    A.  No,  sir. 


51 


?d  for  per- 
•arty. 

ipparentlv 
and  splen 
body  else, 
)nnge8t  of 
iced,  rosy- 
party  liiiit 
they  were 
mself,  is  a 
ring  being 
sage  and 
k  for  and 
1  Lancers, 
I)ys."     lint 
oal  black 
probably 
d  a<}uiline 
either  hoi- 
the  charm 
ilated.     It 
ood  seizes 
y,  or  flash 
[e  is  more 
^hich  may 
sts  in  this 
liis  occult 

ired,  and 
preacher. 
t  of  those 
mfortablv 
lis  female 
available 


en  before 

,  did  you 
)retended 
lys  heard 
igree,  but 
legrees— 
ily  be  ob- 
ybody. 
es.  sir. 


$  Q.  Did  you  ever  see  these  horoscopes*'    A.  I  have  seen  these  be- 
*lbre,  but  I  do  not  suppose  I  saw  them  in  his  possession.     T  «an 
Identify  these  as  in  liis  handwriting. 
if  Q.  These  are  in  his  handwriting?    A.  Yes,  sir. 
f  Q.  What  does  he  mean  by  these?     A.  He  claimed  that  by  the  aid 
of  these  horoscopes,  he  could  read  the  future. 

■i  Q.  Now  we  will  come  to  this  work  at  Gunston:    What  did  he  do 

lere?    So  far  as  you  could  observe,  did  he  carry  out  to  a  conclusion 

ly  of  the  objects  that  he  undertook?    A.  No,  sir.    In  the  first  place, 

ie  told  me  personally  that  when  the  cornerstone  was  laid — and  it 

Jiad  to  be  laid  before  or  about  the  time  of  the  vernal  equinox,  which 

^as  the  twentieth  of  September,  and  that  was  while  I  was  in  Mon- 

^eal — that  when  the  cornerstone  was  laid  at  Gunston,  Va.,  all  the 

"tingdoms  of  the  world  could  not  prevail  against  tlie  order,  and  that 

lenturies  hence  that  would  still  be  there  in  a  firm  state.    He  believed 

phat  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  the  spiritual  influences  would 

lover  nearer  man  than  at  any  other  time;  also  that  at  4  o'clock 

Qln  the  morning  the  guardian  angels  woulr"  change  watch;  he  told 

•%ie  all  such  things  himself.     With  refererce  to  that  $5,000,  to  my 

^personal  knowledge,  he  never  paid  but  $10  on  the  purchase  price 

M  $1,000,  and  I  know  that  the  improvements  on  the  ])roperty  did 

i\ot  cost  him  over  $1,000  altogether  at  the  most.     So  what  he  did 

%ith  the  $4,000  was  to  spend  it  on     '    self.     His  living  expenses 

were  almost  nothing,  because  even   the  food  for  his  horses  was 

brought  down  from  my  father's  place. 

Q.  In  connection  with  working  up  the  order  and  carrying  out 
.these  grand  schemes  which  he  promulgated  and  promised,  what 
jflid  he  do,  if  he  did  anything?     A.  He  did  nothing. 

Q.  I  mean  in  the  thrj'e  years  he  was  at  Gunston,  from  the  spring 
6t  1891  to  the  spring  of  1894;  what  did  he  do?  W^as  there  any  no- 
ticeable work  going  on?    A.  No,  sir;  there  was  not. 

Q.  Did  he  do  anything  toward  bringing  in  many  people,  mak- 
jfing  the  world  better  and  all  that?    A.  No,  sir.    From  what  I  saw 
of  the  man's  character,  and  his  methods,  his  object  in  coming  to 
Gunston  was  merely  to'  barnacle  himself  on  my  father,  and  even- 
tually to  secure  his  wealth  and  property. 

Q.  What  was  his  life  like  there?  Do  you  know  anything  about 
it — not  only  at  Gunston,  but  at  Washington? 

TOLD  OBSCENE  STORIES. 

A.  I  know  this:  He  was  a  man  addicted  to  telling  dirty  stories; 
I  am  sure  of  that,  because  he  has  told  me  a  great  many. 

Q.  You  mean  obscene  stories?  A.  Yes,  sir.  And  he  was  given 
to  the  use  of  tobacco;  he  chewed  tobacco  and  smoked.  And  as  he 
was  so  strict  with  other  people,  that  shows  he  was  not  consistent. 

Q.  Do  you  mean  to  say  that  Howard  actually  indulged  in  reciting 
Dbscene  stories  in  obscene  language?    A.  Undoubtedly;  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  he  tell  you  stories  of  that  kind?    A.  Yes,  sir. 


62 


id 


■i 

'i 
p 


'I 

M 


Q.  Do  you  know  whether  he  told  them  to  others?  A.  Yes,  sir, 
I  know  he  has  tokl  such  stories  to  the  Kesters,  who  live  in  the  neigh 
borhood  of  Gunston  Hall,  a  very  nice  family. 

HOWAKD'S  WOUK. 

Q.  What  was  the  ettect  of  all  this  Howaid's  work  upon  your 
mother  and  her  relations  to  her  family?  A.  It  made  her  very  vision 
ary.  She  imagined  she  saw  eiementals  and  forces,  and  she  though: 
she  was  clairvoyant  and  clairaudient.  She  went  out  into  the  kitchen 
one  day  and  took  the  bread  out  of  the  oven  that  had  been  put  there 
by  the  cook  and  stamped  all  over  it.  In  answer  to  the  question  what 
she  did  it  for,  she  said  it  was  possessed  by  the  devil;  every  horse 
and  every  dog  had  an  evil  spirit  or  a  good  spirit.  I  remember  once 
my  mother  in  my  company  was  driven  up  to  the  house  by  me,  and 
the  horse  jumped  a  little,  and  she  wanted  to  get  right  out;  she 
said  there  was  a  curse  at  (lunston  Hall,  and  Iloward  made  her  be 
live  it  was  cursed  because  he  did  not  have  possession  of  it.  I  told 
her  if  she  did  not  have  any  more  faith  than  that  she  ought  to  gci 
some  other  religion.  She  did  not  say  .i  word  in  reply.  But  she 
really  did  not  get  any  benefit  out  of  her  religion,  because  she  was 
in  constant  fear  all  the  time. 

Q.  In  fear  of  what?     A.  Klementals  and  evil  spirits. 

Q.  Where  were  y  n  at  the  time  Howard  left  Guust  n?  A.  I  was 
np  in  Washi''gton. 

Q.  Do  you  know  anytliiug  ol  ]iis  leaving  Washington  suddenly',' 
A.  Yes,  sir.  1  was  right  here  in  Washington,  helping  to  instigate 
proceedings;  I  t]iou;,lit  he  was  going  to  leave,  and  I  wauiCd  to  gci 
his  pictui'e  taken,  and  sure  enough  he  did  leave,  and  when  they  went 
to  New  York  for  him  he  had  left;  the  reason  he  left  was  because  lu 
feared  arrest  in  New  York.     I  am  satisfied  of  that. 

Q.  How  are  you  satislied  of  that?  A.  Because  he  left  so  hui 
riedly.  and  because  he  knew  proceedings  were  going  to  be  instituted 
against  him. 

Q.  Did  you  tell  him?  A.  No.  sir.  I  did  not.  But  my  father  went 
down  and  told  him  that  he  would  either  have  to  tell  us  who  he  was 
or  get  out.    That  was  sutlicient  invitation. 

Q.  Your  father  told  him  he  would  jMit  him  in  a  penitentiary  if 
he  did  not  go?    A.  ^'es.  sir. 


1I()W.\1{|>S  XTMEKOrS  DIGNITIES. 

Q.  Was  it  at  that  tinu'  that  Howard  informed  you  about  occupv 
ing  all  these  dilferent  i»ositions?  A.  He  told  me  of  his  different 
positions  in  Montreal  and  also  while  at  (Junston.  I  can  give  you 
a  lot  of  information  on  this  subject,  showing  how  ridiculous  his 
claims  were. 

Q.  Take  first  tliose  that  are  set  out  in  the  warrant,  that  he  was 
an  English  nobleman  belonging  to  the  Norfolk  branch  of  the  How 


.  Yes,  sir, 
the  neigh 


upon  your 
ery  vision- 
he  thought 
he  kitchen 
1  put  there 
stion  what 
very  horse 
mber  once 
)y  me,  and 
it  out;  she 
side  her  be 
it.    I  tohi 
ight  to  get 
But  she 
se  she  was 


A.  I  wa!« 

sudtlenlv,' 
:o  instigate 
Hied  to  get 
I  they  went 
because  he 

eft  so  hui 
i  institute! 

ather  went 
kho  he  was 

itentiai'y  if 


53 


d  family.  Was  that  one  of  the  statements  he  made  that  you  heard? 
'^.  Oh,  ves.     He  also  made  the  same  statement  to   Colonel    Van 
.  Miamph,  who  was  a  member  of  the  l>anish  Legation  in  Washing- 
ipn,  and  he  can  verity  that. 

'  >  Q  Take  next  liis  claim  that  he  cultivated  20.01);;  acies  of  land  in 
"ifoi'thumberland,  neai-  the  Scotch  border;  that  he  claimed  accjuain-. 
■^nce  with  the  Duke  of^  Newcastle  when  the  Duke  accompanied 
-iiie  I'rince  of  Wales  to  this  country  in  or  prior  to  iJSOi.  Was  that 
%ie  of  the  statements  he  made,  that  he  had  been  in  the  suite  of  tlie 
jsjrrince  of  Wales?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

fe  ().  He  was  colonel  of  the  ITlh  Lancers.  Then  he  went  from  Eng- 
5||ftnd  to  India  and  then  became  the  head  of  a  i-eligious  order  having 
j^s  headcinarters  in  India,  and  having  for  its  object  the  diosemination 
v^f  the  Hrahmin-Indiaii  jihilosoithy ;  that  such  philosophy  was  to  be 
Substituted  for  the  Christian  religion.  Did  he  state  'it  it  was  to 
v^e  substituted?  A.  ).  sir.  1  don't  think  he  did.  Hut  he  said  it 
%as  suj)erior  to  the  (J'hristian  religion;  just  like  Christianity  came 
fei  when  Judaism  was  in  existence;  it  was  not  to  be  entirely  substi- 
tuted, but  they  said  that  they  were  partakers  in  a  better  dispensa- 
tion. 

Q.  That  as  head  of  that  order  he  was  entitled  to  be  designated  the 
Sage  of  Am?     A.  That  was  supi)osed  to  be  his  title  in  I'ldia. 

Q.  Is  that  what  he  stated,  that  he  was  entitled  to  that  designation 
In  India?    A.  Yes.  sir. 

Q.  Then  he  came  to  tlie  Fnited  States  at  the  bidding  of  I  he  coun- 
cil, with  instructions  to  establisli  and  ojjcn  a  college  in  Fairfax 
bounty,  \'a.,  wher(^  the  said  philosophy  and  other  principles  of  said 
aprder  might  be  taught.  Was  that  the  way  Iw  put  it.  or  was  it  that 
*Iie  was  to  establish  his  seat  of  learning  near  the  capital  of  this 
Country?  A.  lie  said  both,  it  seems  to  hie;  that  it  would  be  advan- 
tageous to  have  it  near  the  ca]>ital  of  this  country.  He  really  had 
'*nigniticent  scheems  in  \  i<nv,  but  of  coui-se  they  never  came  oiit  as 
predicted. 

Q.  In  addition  to  that,  did  he  say  that  he  had  been  an  oflicer 
in  the  17fh  Lancers?  .\.  That  he  was  a  colonel  of  the  17th  Lancers. 
He  was  a  colonel  in  the  Sejtoy  rebelb"(Mi,  as  he  said.  So  you  can  im- 
ifegine  that  he  must  be  a  pretty  old  man. 

Q.  Yes,  for  that  was  in  IS;"?. 


IIKIi   MAJESTY'S  CLOSE  FRIEND. 


>ut  occupy 
s  different 
ti  give  yon 
eulous  his 

lat  he  was 
'  the  How 


He  was  a  member  of  the  Hoyal  Yaclit  Club,  and  was  a  great 
ifriend  of  the  Queen;  thai  in  her  presence  he  was  allowed  to  retain 
liiis  hat  njton  his  liead;  that  lie  would  take  off  his  liat,  and  she  would 
%ay,  "Don't  uncover."  He  told  nie  that.  He  was  a  great  man. 
Then  he  was  also  Prince  of  T'raagaya.  But  he  had  so  many  titles — 
and  then  lie  was  a  very  good  ])ainter.  and  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and 
lie  really  was  a  pretty  good  carjienter.  I  liave  never  seen  any  of 
his  paintings.     But  he  was  a  very  versatile  man,  very  showy,  but 


'^^, 


o4 


it  was  all  on  the  surface.  He  had  a  Knight  Templar's  sword,  an 
ordinary  cheap  sword,  with  which  he  used  to  drive  away  the  evil 
spirits  before  commencing  his  services.  I  might  give  you  some 
information  that  proves  him  an  awful  liar,  and  that  is  that  he  met 
his  present  wife  in  London  at  a  reception  given  by  Charles  Dlckenis, 
1  learned  of  this  up  in  Montreal. 

Q.  Howard,  the  plaintiff,  lived  altogether  a  little  ove*-  three 
years  at  Guuston.  From  your  observation,  what  was  he  doing 
iluring  that  time?  What  was  the  principal  work  he  was  en- 
j;aged  in?  A.  He  spent  a  great  deal  of  time  in  Washington.  He 
was  very  fond  of  luxuries,  fond  of  dress,  and  he  wore  fur  over- 
voiiia  in  the  winter  time;  fond  of  nice  horses,  at  one  time  he  had  a 
I  en-acre  farm,  almost  a  garden  patch,  and  he  had  three  horses 
(here.  He  always  had  the  very  best  things;  did  not  live  plainly  bv 
auy  means. 

Q.  He  lived  well?    A.  Yes,  sir,  he  did. 

Q.  Then  he  visited  your  mother  often  at  (Junston?  A.  Yes,  sir; 
lliough  she  more  frequently  drove  down  to  his  place  with  my  sister. 

Q.  Generaly  speaking,  what  was  the  effect  of  this  man's  intro- 
iluction  to  your  mother  in  1891?  A.  It  seemed  to  have  this  effect 
on  her:  that  she  did  not  care  for  anything  else;  it  made  her  selfish, 
which  she  never  was  before;  she  seemed  to  lose  all  affection  for  her 
family,  and  had  but  one  end  in  view,  and  that  was  the  salvation  of 
her  own  soul,  and  if  possible  of  her  husband's  soul,  by  using  (he 
same  means.  I  have  got  this  from  her  myself — that  in  conse- 
quence of  my  father  not  being  her  spirit-miate,  not  coming  up  to 
her  standard,  he  and  she  were  really  living  in  adultery  when  they 
lieved  together.  That  is  what  she  told  me,  and  that  it  was  abso- 
lutely necessary  that  father  should  either  join  the  order  with  her. 
■or  she  would  have  to  leave  him. 

Q.  Then  it  broke  up  the  family  in  that  sense?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  And  I  suppose  it  had  a  serious  effect  u])on  your  father's  hai>]»i 
iiess  for  some  considerable  time?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  any  efforts  made  to  get  her  to  return  home.  A.  I  write 
to  her  every  once  in  a  while  and  always  tell  her  that  she  is  always 
welcome  to  live  with  me.  And  I  never  have  failed  to  remember  her 
;Jit  Christmas  or  anything  like  that. 


m 


HOWARD'S  RITUALS. 


Q.  Did  you  ever  see  the  ritual  for  classes  that  Howard  made 
out?     A,  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Look  at  the  ritual  I  now  hand  you,  and  state  whether  that 
wfis  prepared  by  him?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  see  his  writing  in  it?  A.  I  think  this  penmanship 
that  is  interlined  in  the  typewriting  is  his  writing.  My  mother  had 
several  copes  of  the  ritual,  and  copies  were  sent  to  different  places. 

(Two  drafts  of  said  rittial  were  filed  herewith,  the  Court  admit- 
ting them,  though  objected  to.) 


55 


sword,  an 
y  the  evil 
you  some 
at  he  met 
Dickenis, 

y&i-   three 

he  doing 

was    eu- 

?tou.     He 

fur  over 

he  had  ;i 

ee  horses 

)liiinlv  bv 


Yes,  sir; 
my  sister, 
n's  intro- 
:his  effect 
er  selfish. 
)n  for  her 
Ivatiou  of 
using  the 
in  oouse- 
ing  up  to 
t'hen  they 
was  ab.so- 
with  her. 

,  sir. 

r's  hap])! 

L.  I  write 
is  always 
■mlx'r  licr 


rd  made 

iher  that 

imanship 
ther  had 
it  place.>^. 
•t  admit- 


Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  the  steps  that  were  taken  to 
ave  extradition  proceedings  instituted  against  Howard.    A.  Only 
o  far  that  when  we  heard  he  was  in  New  York,  then  we  had  to 
et  requisition  papers  on  the  Governor  of  New  York,  and  we  were 
^lold  in  Virginia  that  it  was  possible  to  get  him  extradited. 

Q.  Do  you  know  about  advising  with  Carlisle  &  Johnson  on  that 

■  iBubject?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

/    Q.  And  of  their  making  preparations  to  have  extradition  pro- 

Ipeediugs    instituted?      A.    They    said    it    was    possible,    but    they 

||idvised  that  as  he  was  out  of  the  country,  it  would  be  better  to  let 

fhim  remain. 

Q.  That  was  after  consideration.     A.  Yes,  sir. 
■      Q.  Your  father  spoke  to  you  about  making  preparation  for  extra- 
ii-ldition,  and  then  dropping  it?     A.  I  don't  leniiMnber  tlie  ])oints.     i 
:*|£now  I  went  with  a  man  to  New  York  to  bring  him  back;  I  went  to 
^^ew  York  with  the  requisilion  papers. 
3    Q.  Then  you  obtained  requisition  papers  from  the  Governor  of 
Virginia?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

ff    Q.  And  you  went  with  the  detective  to  New  York.     A.  Yes,  sir. 

^i     Q.  What  did  you  do  there?     A.  We  had  a  letter  which  he  had 

|;?iiailed.     Through  the  postoffice  authorities  here  we  were  allowed 

^isi^iccess  to  his  mail,  and  through  the  medium  of  detectives  whenever 

'#bere  was  a  letter  addressed  to  Mrs.  Howard  or  to  his  lawyer  we 

.Jj^'ould  read  those  letters;  and  in  that  way  we  found  that  he  was  in 

-New  York,  and  we  even  knew  the  station  where  he  had  mailed  his 

fietter.     So  we  went  to  the  station  and  I  saw  the  New  York  Chief 

v«f  Police,  and  he  detailed  a  couple  of  detectives  to  look  him  up. 

;?Then  I  described  the  man  in  order  that  if  they  met  him  on  the 

street  he  might  be  arrested,  but  it  was  discovered  that  he  had 

„^one  to  Canada  and  so  we  returned. 

Q.  How  long  were  you  there?     A.  Three  days. 


AT  GUNSTON  HALL. 

Thursday,  March  24,  1898. 
The  commission  resumed  its  sittings  at  Gunston  Hall,  Va.,  for  the 
xamination  of  witnesses  there,  Mr.  Hogg,  representing  the  defend- 
ants, being  present,  no  representative  ai)pearing  for  the  plaintiff. 
Only  brief  extracts  of  this  evidence  were  read  to  the  jury,  the  defense 
considering  the  case  already  strong  enougli. 

Viirolius  Allen,  a  witness  called  on  behalf  of  the  defendant,  hav- 
';^ng  been  duly  sworn,  testified,  among  other  things,  as  follows: 
By  Mr.  Hogg — 
Q.  What  is  your  occupation?     A.  T  am  a  farmer  at  present.     Our 
ing  the  time  that  Dr.  Howard  was  here  T  kept  the  postoffice  and  at- 
i^ended  the  farm,  and  T  carried  the  mail. 

Q.  Had  you  conversation  with  him?    A.  Oh,  yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  he  ever  say  anything  about  beooming  tlie  owner  of  Onns- 


56 


ton  Hall?    A.  He  asked  lue  what  would  I  think  to  see  him  become 
the  owner  of  Ounston  Hall. 

Q.  Did  he  say  how  he  would  become  the  owner  of  it?     A.  He  did 

not. 

John  Sheppard,  a  witness  on  behalf  of  (he  defendants,,  having 
been  duly  swoin,  testified,  aiuonj,'  other  thin{;s,  as  follows: 
Jiy  Mr.  Hosfjj: 

Q.  Where  do  yon  live?  A.  I  live  up  in  Mount  Vernon  distrir^ 
near  Aceotink. 

Q.  What  is  your  business?     A,  Fishing?. 

Q.  Do  you  know  Mv.  Joseph  Specht?  .\.'  Yes,  sir;  since  he  came 
to  Gunston  I  have  known  him,  that  is,  since  1SJ)1. 

Q.  How  have  you  found  him?  A.  1  have  found  him  a  perfect 
gentleman. 

Q.  Did  .yo'i  know  Dr.  Howard,  the  plaintiff  in  this  case?  A.  Yes. 
sir;  I  knew  Howard. 

Q.  Where  did  he  live?  A.  He  lived  down  here  in  this  jdace  that 
belonged  to  Col.  Daniels,  which  he  pretended  to  buy.  or  did  buy. 
from  Miss  Fi'eeman. 

Q.  Had  he  a  house  on  it?  A.  Yes,  sir;  and  he  added  little  im- 
provements— built  a  barn  and  a  little  cottage  outside. 

Q.  Did  you  meet  Howard  frequently?  A.  Yes.  sir;  sometimes 
everv  dav  for  a  week.  I  have  seen  him  there  often,  verv  often,  1 
reckon  a  hundred  or  two  hundred  times  a  year. 

().  Did  he  ever  make  any  representations  to  you  of  his  financial 
position?     A.  Well,  he  used  to  talk  like  he  had  plenty  of  money. 


|ir. 


HOW  HOWARD  WORKED. 

Q.  What  was  he  doing,  so  far  as  you  know?  A.  Well,  I  didn't 
see  him  doing  much  of  anything.  He  pretended  to  come  b.ere  as  a 
doctor  and  practice  medicine,  but  he  didn't  do  anything  for  a  liveli- 
hood lere;  ])retended  to  be  living  on  the  interest  of  his  money. 

i}.  Did  he  ever  practice  medicine?  A.  No.  sir;  not  that  1  know  of 
at  all. 

Q.  Did  he  evei'  speak  lo  you  of  his  icligious  views?  A.  Well.  I 
have  heai'd  him  tall<  sfMciiil  tiiues  about  his  religion. 

Q.  Did  he  evei-  try  to  ger»yon  to  be  oih'  of  his  followers?  A.  I 
didn't  understand  liiiii  when  he  talked  on  that  subject. 

Q.  Do  you  know  of  his  trying  to  get  others  in  this  neigliborhood 
to  follow  him?  A.  No,  f,ir;  not  personally.  I  have  heard  he  did, 
but  I  don't  know  for  a  certainty  that  he  did. 

Q.  Then,  what  was  he  doing  generally,  so  f.ar  as  you  could  see? 
A.  The  most  I  saw  him  doing  was  walking  up  and  down,  and  row- 
ing up  and  down  the  creek,  and  going  backward  and  forward  on 
the  steamboat  between  here  and  Washington. 

Q.  Did  lie  ever  speak  of  his  speculations  in  grain  and  stock?  A. 
Oh,  yes,  sir;  I  have  heard  him  speak  of  that,  and  what  he  had  done, 
and  how  much  money  he  had  made. 


67 


n  become 
^.  He  did 

s,,  liaving 

1  distl•i^^ 

he  came 

Ji  perfect 

A.  Yes. 

)ln<-e  that 
did  buv. 

little  im- 

ometimeB 
r  often,  1 

financial 
iionev. 


,  I  didn't 
l;ere  as  a 
r  a  liveli- 

(\V. 

[  know  of 

.  Well,  i 

's?     A.  I 

liborhood 
i  he  did. 

)nld  see? 
and  row 
•ward  on 

ock?  A. 
lad  done. 


Specht    and    his   wife,, 
A.  I  don't  know;  that 


Q.  What  was  the  nature  of  his  conversation'?  Did  he  give 
ou  the  impression  of  being  a  very  pious  man*/  A. Well,  no;  he 
idn't.     He  pretended  to  be  a  little  of  everything,  I  believe. 

Q.  Did  you  know  anything  about  his  so-called  religion?  A.  No, 
ir,  I  didn't. 

Q.  Did  you  evei-  see  him  dressed  in  a  peculiar  fashion?  A.  Yes, 
ir;  I  have  seen  him  with  his  uniform  on;  that  is,  with  his  arms 
n  him,  marching  around.  I  .saw  him  go  out  of  the  house  and 
larch  around,  and  1  saw  him  lire  a  rille.  He  has  his  pistols  around 
im,  and  had  a  sword  hung  to  his  side,  and  they  followed  him 
round. 
'^!   Q.  Who  followed   him  around?     A.  Mr. 

alking  around  in  the  fields  and  yards. 

Q.  Wliat  was  he  shooting  the  rilie  for? 

as  a  part  1  couldn't  understand. 

Q.  Did  lie  explain  lo  you  what  he  was  doing?  .\.  No,  he  didn't 
xplain;  only  that  he  said  that  was  included  in  his  belief. 

Q.  That  that  was  part  of  his  religious  belief?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  he  ever  say  anything  about  Gunston  Hall  and  the  prop- 
rty  there?     A.  No,  sir;  not  any  more  than  he  told  me  one  day  that 

unston  Hall  and  all  belonged  to  Mrs.  Specht,  and  he  was  inter- 
eding  for  Mrs,  Specht. 

Q.  Interceding  for  Mrs.  Specht  with  whom?     A.  I  supposed  he 

eant  he  was  attending  to  her  business  for  her. 

Q.  Did  he  ever  say  that  (Junston  Hall  would  be  his  property?  A. 
don't  know  if  he  ever  did.     If  he  did  I  disremember. 

Q.  Hen  \'enue  is  a  j)roperfy  belonging  to  Mr.  Specht?  A.  Yes, 
ir. 

Q.  Did  Howard  tell  you  he  was  looking  after  that  property?     A, 
.v^^'es,  sir;  and  discharged  servants,  and  he  did  discharge  one  because 
f'ne  didn't  want  him  in  the  house. 

Q.  Did  he  ever  say  anything  about  his  looking  after  Mr.  Specht? 

A.  Yes.  sir;  he  told  me  that  he  was  guardian  for  Mr.  Specht;  that 
iM^v.  Specht  wasn't  capable  of  attending  to  his  business. 


HOWARD'S  HORSES  AND  DOGS. 

v|  Q.  How  many  acres  of  land  had  Howard  there?     A.  1  don't  think 
•  l^e  had  but  about  five. 
-?!  Q.  How  nianv  horses  had  he  there?     A.  At  one  time  I  think  he 

Bad  four  and  three  at  other  times. 
U  Q.  Did  he  require  all  those  horses  for  that  farm?     A.  No,  sir;  he 
j*|ouldn't  well  keep  one  at  work  at  that  time;  in  fact,  he  didn't  work 
'^lose  horses  of  any  consequence.     He  just  kept  them  there,  and 

those  men  he  had  there  would  ride  them  around  every  day  for  exer- 
cise. 

■    Q.  Did  you  ever  know  why  he  kept  those  horses  there?     A.  I 
''Wouldn't  tell  why  he  did  it.     He  had  one  that  he  said  he  had  paid 


:^m 


FPT^TT" 


S8 


a  thousand  dollars  for,  but  when  the  horses  were  sold  I  think  the 
mother  and  colt  only  brought  $65.    That  was  the  best  horse  he  had. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  see  his  dog?  A.  Oh,  yes,  sir.  He  had  some 
dogs  there  that  he  valued  at  $1,001)  a  piece  that  I  suppose  were 
hardly  worth  killing. 

Q.  Did  you  know  Cisco,  the  yellow  dog?  A.  Yes,  sir;  I  tliink  I 
did  see  him  with  that  kind  of  a  dog.  He  had  three  outside  of  that, 
though,  and  he  might  have  had  four.  He  told  me  that  two  pointer 
dogs  he  had  were  registered,  and  1  think  he  said  they  cost  $10,000 
or  $15,000. 

Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  dogs?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

'Q.  What  do  you  say  about  them?  A.  They  were  not  worth  any- 
thing. They  were  just  ordinary  dogs,  only  tit  to  eat  and  bark.  I 
have  been  a  gunner  all  my  life,  and  got  as  line  dogs  as  any  man 
ever  owned.  I  was  surprised  at  his  statements  about  the  dogs.  I 
had  an  idea,  from  the  way  he  talked,  that  lie  thought  that  every- 
body down  here  in  Virginia  were  cranks  because  he  tried  to  lead 
them  to  believe  that  way. 

Mary  Freeman,  a  witness  called  on  behalf  of  the  defendants,  hav- 
ing been  duly  sworn,  testified  as  follows: 
By  Mr.  Hogg: 

Q.  Where  do  you  live?  A.  1  live  in  (his  neighborhood,  and  have 
been  living  here  about  twelve  years,  with  Miss  Freeman. 

Q.  Did  Howard,  the  plaintiff  here,  have  possession  of  that  place? 

A.  Yes,  sir.  He  made  a  bargain  to  purchase  it  from  Miss  Free- 
man. 

Q.  Do  you  know  how  much  he  paid  for  it?  A.  He  was  to  pay 
her  $1,000,  but  he  paid  her  $10. 

Q.  Do  you  know  that  as  a  fact?  A.  Yes,  sir;  because  I  saw  the 
^10  in  Miss  Freeman's  hands. 

Q.  Do  you  know  whether  lie  ever  paid  any  more  for  it?  A.  No, 
sir;  I  don't  know  that  he  ever  did.  He  certainly  didn't  before  he 
left  the  house,  not  a  cent  more. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  that  he  loft  in  1S!)4?  A.  But  this  was  in 
1891  that  he  made  the  transaction, 

Q.  Up  to  the  time  he  left,  do  you  know  whether  he  paid  Miss 
Freeman  any  more?     A.  Nothing  more  was  jiaid. 

Q.  What  position  did  you  occupy  in  his  house?  A.  T  codked  for 
him  and  had  control  of  the  plaec  until  his  wife  came  from  Mon- 
treal; made  his  beds,  attended  to  his  clothes  and  cooked  and  done 
everything  that  lie  wanted  around  the  house. 

Q.  What  did  he  say,  if  anything,  about  being  a  prince  or  a  king? 
A.  That  was  with  reference  to  his  religion.  He  had  the  highest 
lionor  and  they  had  called  him  a  prince,  it  seemed  like,  in  this  re- 
ligious business,  because  he  was  the  founder  of  it,  the  highest  man. 
They  called  him  prince. 

Q.  Who  called  him  prince?  A.  He  said  the  people  called  him 
prince. 


08 


think  the 
e  he  had. 
lad  Bome 
ose  were 

I  tliink  I 
\i  of  that, 
o  pointer 
t  $10,000 


orth  anj- 
bark.     I 

any  man 
dogs.     I 

at  every- 

i  to  lead 

mts,  hav- 


aud  have 

at  place? 
iss  Free- 

s  to  pay 

saw  the 

A.  No, 
>efore  he 

s  was  in 

aid  Miss 

loked  for 
M\\  Mon- 
md  done 

a  king? 

highest 
I  this  re- 
OS  t  man. 

lied  him 


M 


Q.  Did  he  hold  religious  worship  of  any  kind  in  the  house?  A. 
[Oh,  yes,  sir.  The  house  was  a  double  parlor,  folding  doors  be- 
Itween,  and  the  doctor  and  Mrs.  Howard  had  a  long  purple  robe 
[with  tassels,  and  Mrs.  Specht  came  one  day,  and  Mrs.  Howard  said 
{that  the  doctor  was  administering  the  holy  writs.  I  don't  know 
Iwhat  that  was. 

LIKE  A   BArXlSING  GOWN. 

Q.  What  was  the  dress  he  had  on?  ,\.  It  was  just  like  a  baptisr 
ling  gown.  I  think  the  gown  had  purple  tassels,  and  he  had  a  cap, 
jand  the  gown  was  something  like  they  wear  in  the  circus. 

Q.  Had  he  a  sword  or  any  weapons  about  him?     A.  If  I  ain't 
^mistaken  he  did  have  something  hanging  down  at  his  side,  but  I 
am  near-sighted  and  didn't  see  very  well.     He  put  on  that  perform- 
ance very  often  at  night,  and  his  wife  would  go  through  it. 

Q.  What  did  they  go  through?     A.  Of  course  I  wasn't  admitted. 

Q.  How  did  he  come  to  tell  yon  that  he  was  a  prince  and  king  in 

this  country?     A.  He  used   to  talk  a  good  deal  at  nights.     Tlune 

[•would  be  just  the  three  of  us  there,  and  he  showed  us  his  diplomas. 

didn't  know  what  they  were — great  long  rolls.     They  were  in 

[Latin,  not  English,  and  we  couldn't  read  them. 

Q.  What  country  did  he  say  he  came  from?     tV.  India;  and  his 
rife,  he  said,  was  an  Indian  woman  also. 
Q.  Did  he  tell  you  what  the  name  of  his  religion  was?     A.  It  had 
"K"  in  it,  I  think. 

Q.  Was  it  the  Brahmin-Indian  religion?     A.  Yes,  sir;  tiiat  is  it 
jxactly,  but  he  had  another  name  for  it,  a  long  name,  and  it  had  a 
"K"  in  it. 

Q.  Sat  Bah  Kooah?     A.  Yes,  sir;  that's  what  it  was. 
Q.  How  long  have  you  known  Mr.  Specht?     A.  Ever  since  he  has 
)een  here. 

Q.  How  have  you  found  him?  .\.  A  perfect  gentleman  in  every 
[•espect,  helping  the  poor  and  giving  them  work.  Mr.  Specht  has 
)een  the  salvation  to  the  i)oor  people  since  he  has  been  here. 

William  Spencer  Freeman,  a  witness  on  behalf  of  the  defendants, 
laving  been  duly  sworn,  testified  among  other  things,  as  follows: 
By  Mr.  Hogg: 
Q.  Where  do  you  live?     A.  At  (lunston. 
Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  there?     A.  All  my  life. 
Q.  Did  you  work  for  Dr.  Howard?     A.  I  did. 
Q.  At  what  time?     .\.  It  was  in  the  year  1801. 
Q.  How  long?     A.  About  three  months. 

Q.  He  came  there  in  August  or  in  the  summer  of  1801?  A.  I 
lon't  know  the  dates.     Me  and  my  wife  worked  for  him. 

Q.  Did  he  ever  tell  you  of  what  he  was  going  to  do?  A.  He  said 
be  was  going  to  have  an  institution,  and  he  was  president  of  the  in- 
stitution. 

Q.  What  was  it  for?     \.  To  cure  inebriates. 


■»Hr 


no 


Q.  Did  ho  build  the  iustitution?  A.  Well,  he  started  it;  but 
when  it  was  built  it  was  a  barn.  Some  days  he  would  be  more 
commuuicalive  than  others.  He  started  it  for  a  barn,  but  one  day 
he  walked  out  and  looked  at  the  buildinj;,  and  he  says:  "William"— 
he  always  called  nie  by  my  first  name— "William,  I  am  goinj?  to 
build  this  so  that  lean  turn  it  into  a  house  at  a  moment's  notice." 
It  seemed  he  wanted  to  have  it  understood  that  some  parties  were 
backinfjj  him  up  in  the  money  business  and  about  the  people  he  was 
goinj;  to  teach,  and  he  was  j^oing  to  turn  this  into  an  inebriate 
asylum.  He  built  the  barn,  but  he  never  used  it  only  to  store  stutf 
in.     It  was  only  being  completed  when  1  left. 

Q.  Was  it  ever  completed,  as  a  matter  of  fact?     A.  No. 


A  HAHD-SHELL  BAPTIST. 

Q.  Did  lie  ever  tell  you  about  his  being  very  high  up  in  a  religious 
order?  \.  I  never  had  any  confidence  in  his  faith,  and  I  think 
he  discovered  that,  and  so  he  never  told  me  anything  about  his 
religion;  but  I  gave  him  to  understand  that  I  was  raised  a  Baptist, 
and  my  belief  was  that  and  I  didn't  see  how  anybody  could  be  any- 
thing else,  as  1  understood  it;  and  I  think  he  discovered  that  and 
didn't  press  liis  religion. 

Q.  Uow  long  have  you  known  Mr.  Specht?  A.  Ever  since  he 
came  here. 

Q.  How  have  you  found  him?  A.  A  gentleman.  I  have  worked 
for  Mr.  Specht  every  year  he  has  been  in  this  vicinity,  I  believe, 
except  one. 

T.  F.  Chapman,  a  witness  on  behalf  of  the  defendants,  havin}; 
been  duly  sworn,  testified,  among  other  things,  as  follows: 
My  Mr.  Hogg: 

Q.  What  is  your  ofKicial  position?  A.  1  was  a  justice  of  the 
peace,  but  am  not  now. 

Q.  When  did  you  cease  to  be  justice  of  the  peace?  A.  The  1st 
of  July,  1S!)7. 

Q.  \Vh(M(>  did  you  live?  A.  In  Fairfax  county,  Va..  at  a  place 
called  Hallowing. 

Q.  Do  you  know  ]SIr.  Specht?     A.  Very  well,  sir. 

Q.  How  do  you  find  liim?  A.  A  very  scjuare  man  in  every  w 
spect;  no  complaint  to  be  found  against  him.  He  is  doing  good 
work  in  his  neij,rlil)orhood.  He  contributes  very  liberally  to  the 
church  and  is  a  member  and  vestryman  of  Pohick  church. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  known  liim?  A.  Ever  since  he  came  here, 
about  seven  years  ago. 

Q.  Did  yon  know  Dr.  Howard?     A.  I  did. 

Q.  Did  yon  come  in  contact  with  him  much?  A.  Yes.  sir.  He 
was  at  my  house  several  times.  He  and  Dr.  Nidelet  attended  me 
during  a  spell  of  kidney  trouble  I  had,  and  when  Dr.  Howard  went 
away  for  four  or  five  days  he  left  Dr.  Nidelet  there. 

Q.  And  Dr.  Nidelet  attended  you  as  a  physician?     A.  Yes,  sir. 


}d  it;  but 
1  be  more 
it  one  day 
y^illiam"— 
I  going  to 
's  notice." 
rties  were 
pie  he  was 
inebriate 
store  stulT 


61 

Q.  Do  you  know  anything  about  Dr.  Howard's  affairs  here?     A. 
I^No'ihing  in  the  world.    I  know  nothing  in  the  world  about  his  busi- 
JCness.  and  to  be  candid  I  know  nothing  of  his  troubles  with  Mr. 
gRpecht  or  his  religion.     He  and  I  never  talked  about  his  religious 
;affair8.     Dr.  Howard  knew  me,  but  he  never  approached  me  about 
his  religion  or  anything  about  his  order. 

Q.  Did  he  ever  talk  to  you  about  his  institution? — A.  He  never 
[opened  his  mouth  to  me  about  it. 

The  further  taking  of  testimony  under  this  commission  was  there- 
Bupon  adjourned  to  3  o'clock  p.  m.  of  this  day  at  Fleischman's  Hotel, 
*in  Alexandria,  Va. 


a  religious 
id  I  think 
about  his 
a  Baptist. 
Id  be  any 
I  that  and 

:•  since  he 

ve  worked 
I  believe, 

ts,  having 


ice  of   the 


V.  The  iKt 


at  a  place 


every  re   1 
oing  good 
lly  to   till'  I 

:*ame  here. 


u  sir.  He 
tended  me 
fvard  went 


Yes,  sir. 


WARRANT  FOR  HOWARD'S  ARREST. 


^ 


€ 


Issued  by  the  Mayor  of  Alexandria,  Va. 

DR.  HOWARD   CHARGED  WITH  THE  LARCENY   OF 

FIVE    THOUSAND    DOLLARS— INDICTMENTS 

AGAINST  HIM  IN  FAIRFAX  COUNTY,  VA. 


ThurHday,  March  24,  1898. 

Met  pmsuant  t;)  adjomiiincnt,  Mr.  Hosj?  b^'inp;  present  on  behalf 
of  the  defendautH,  ii(»  representative  ai)pearinf!;  for  the  plaintifl". 

Henr}'  Strauss,  a  witness  called  for  the  defendants,  having  been 
duly  sworn,  testified  as  follows: 
Uy  Mr.  Uogg: 

Q.  Where  do  you  reside?     A.  In  Alexandria,  Va. 

Q.  What  otticial  jmsition  have  you  held  in  Alexandria?  A.  I  was 
nuiyor  four  years. 

Q.  What  years  were  (hose?     A.  From  1891  to  1895,  I  believe. 

Q.  As  such  you  were  a  magistrate,  I  suppose?  A.  A  magistrate 
ex  officio. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  an  information  bting  laid  before  you  May 
13,  1894?     A.  Yes,  air. 

Q.  Who  was  it  that  laid  that  information?     A.  Joseph  Specht. 

Q.  That  is,  Joseph  Specht,  of  St.  Louis  and  (iunston  Hall?  A.  Of 
St.  Louis  I  didn't  know;  but  I  know  he  is  Joseph  Specht,  of  Gunston 
Hall,  Va. 

Q.  Was  there  a  written  information  laid  before  yoi.?     A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  Then  how  was  the  warrant  issu  i"  A.  It  was  issued  on  the 
complaint  of  Joseph  Specht,  on  account  of  Granby  S,  Howard  being 
an  embezzler  or  default«^r  for  $5,0(10  fiom  Mrs.  Specht.  It  was  on 
Sunday  morning,  I  remember  very  well,  he  appeared  at  my  house, 
and  then  he  went  over  to  the  office,  and  the  chief  issued  the  war- 
rant and  I  signed  it.  The  warra-^t.  however,  was  signed  by  the 
mayor,  according  to  law,  and  the  warrant  w  iS  then  placed  in  the 
possession  of  Officer  Young. 

Q.  \Vhat  record  have  you  in  the  police  records  of  this  warrant 
having  been  issued?  A.  (Producing  book.)  There  is  the  stub  in 
this  book,  showing  the  substance  of  the  warrant,  but  the  warrant 
has  been  mislaid. 

Q.  Then  you  have  not  the  warrant  itself?  A.  No,  sir;  it  was  mis- 
laid or  I'll  ;placed. 

Q.  And  the  information  was  laid  before  you  verbally?     A.  Yes, 


•ir. 


C2 


Q.  So  that  all  the  rccordH  you  have  now  Ih  the  stub?  A.  The  stub 
inerely,  showiiiK  the  complaint,  and  that  tlic  warrant  was  IhsuhI  ui 
information  fnrniNlicd  by  Mr.  Spccht  uf  t'mbczzh'mcnt  by  Howard 
obtaining?  ^"),(H)()  from  Mrs.  Spcclit. 

i}.  That  i8  the  Htatemcnt  that  Ih  still  of  record  in  the  police  de- 
partment? A.  YeH,  Mir.  **(:()m|)lainant,  .Joseph  Specht;  person  ac- 
cused, (Iranby  S.  Howard;  olVense,  stealing  ijs.'.OOO;  date,  May  Kl, 
18!)4;  otTlcer,  Youn^'." 

A  copy  of  this  stub  record,  certilied  by  the  commissioner,  under 
whom  this  testimony  is  taken,  was  tiled. 

Q.  What  is  the  meaning,'  of  tliat  part  of  the  record,  "Officer, 
Younf;?"  A.  That  means  thai  the  warrant  was  placed  in  the  hands 
of  Hjinner  T.  Younj;,  an  oHicer,  to  make  the  arrest. 

Q.  And  that  book  remains  of  record  in  tlie  police  department? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  say  that  was  on  a  Sunday  morninji;  that  Mr.  Specht  came 
there?     A.  Yes,  sir;  very  early  in  the  morniu};. 

Q.  Did  you  know  Mr.  Specht  before  he  came  there?  A.  Yes,  sir; 
I  was  formerly  enj^a^'cd  in  business  here  in  Alexandria,  and  he 
would  come  in  my  store,  and  \  have  had  his  checks,  and  for  that 
reason  I  knew  him. 

Q.  How  did  you  tind  him?  A.  I  found  him  an  honorable,  hij^h- 
toned  gentleman. 

James  F.  Webster,  a  witness  called  for  defendants,  having  been 
duly  sworn,  testified  as  follows: 
By  Mr.  Hogg: 

Q.  What  is  your  otTicial  position?  A.  1  am  chief  of  police  of  the 
city  of  Alexandria,  Va. 

Q.  Were  you  chief  of  police  in  May,  1894?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  preparing  a  warrant  on  the  IJUh  of  May, 
1894?     a".  Yes.  sir. 

Q.  Preparing  a  warrant  on  the  complaint  of  whom?  A.  Mr. 
Joseph  Specht. 

Q.  Was  that  a  part  of  the  duty  you  performed?  A.  It  has  always 
been  the  custom.     I  generaily  till  out  warrants  on  printed  forms. 

THE  USUAL  COU^KSE  FOLLOWED. 


Q.  Then  how  was  the  information  given  to  you?  A.  Mr,  Specht 
appeared  here  with  the  nuiyor.  It  has  been  so  long  I  won't  be  posi- 
tive, but  I  know  I  saw  Mr.  Specht  talking  with  the  mayor  there  in 
the  police  office.  I  think  Mr.  Specht  (luestioned  me  whether  I  kn«'w 
this  Dr.  G.  S.  Howard,  but  I  did  not  know  him.  Upon  the  request 
of  the  mayor  I  tilled  out  this  warrant,  charging  Dr.  Howard  with 
the  larceny  of  flo.OOO,  the  money  and  property  of  Mr.  Joseph  Specht. 
The  mayor  was  there  and  signed  the  warrant. 

Q.  And  that  was  the  actual  course  you  pursued?  A.  That  is  tlie 
usual  course  that  has  alwfiys  been  pursued.  Understand  me,  I 
don't  fill  out  every  warrant,  but  as  a  general  thing  I  do. 


G4 


Q.  Did  you  make  a  copy  of  that  warrant?  A.  No,  sir;  just  merely 
filled  out  the  warrant  and  made  the  entry  on  this  stub  at  the  same 
time  in  this  book,  which  is  of  record;  in  fact,  that  stub  was  entered 
before  the  warrant  was  filled  out. 

Q.  The  warrant  then  was  the  piece  which  was  attached  to  this 
stub?    A.  Yes,  sir;  that  was  torn  off  from  this  stub. 

Q.  Then  having  the  warrant  filled  out  and  signed,  what  did  you 
<io  with  it?  A.  I  placed  it  in  the  iiands  of  Officer  Young.  I  under- 
stood that  Howard  lived  down  near  (Junston  Hall,  in  Fairfax 
county;  that  he  was  expected  to  go  by  Alexandria  on  the  steamboat, 
and  that  probably  he  might  stop  here;  and  Mr.  Young,  you  under 
stand,  was  on  that  beat.  This  town  is  laid  o/f  in  beats,  and  Officer 
Young  was  at  that  time  on  that  beat;  so  I  placed  it  in  the  hands 
of  Mr.  Young,  to  be  executed  if  he  could  find  Dr.  Howard. 

Q.  With  instructions  to  have  it  executed  if  he  could  find  Howard? 
A,  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Then  what  became  of  the  warrant  itself?  A.  The  warrant 
remained  in  Mr.  Young's  hands.  Mr.  Young  mislaid  it,  I  think;  at 
least  I  don't  think  any  return  was  made  of  it  into  the  office.  I  have 
no  recollection  of  it.  but  1  have  a  recollection  that  the  warrant  was 
issued  on  a  complaint  of  Mr.  Specht,  and  that  is  what  it  was  issued 
for.  I  never  saw  Mr.  Specht  before  that  day.  I  liad  often  heard 
of  him. 

Q.  And  this  is  an  original  book?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  You  could  not  give  me  this  book  to  take  away?     A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  It  is  part  of  the  records  of  the  police  department?  A.  It  is 
part  of. the  records  of  the  police  department. 

0.  So  that  if  1  were  to  ask  you  for  it  you  would  have  to  decline? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 


ATTEMPTED  nO\V.\KD*S  AKHEST. 

Banner  T.  Young,  a  witness  for  tlie  defendants,  having  been  duiv 
sworn,  testified  as  follows: 
liy  Mr.  Hogg: 
Q.  What  is  your  official  position?     A.  \  am  on  the  police. force 
of  the  city  of  Alexandria,  ^'a. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  on  that  police  force?  A.  I  suppose 
about  twelve  years. 

~  Q.  So  that  y(Mi  were  a  poli'-e  officer  on  the  i:Uh  of  May,  1894?     A. 
Yes.  sir. 

Q.  Do  yo»i  remember  what  day  of  the  week  that  was?  A.  It  was 
on  a  Sunday. 

Q.  Tell  jue  what  happened  that  morning?  .\.  The  warrant  was 
made  out  and  given  to  me,  and  the  captain  told  me  to  go  to  the 
wharf  and  see  if  I  could  find  this  Mr.  Howard  on  the  boat;  that  this 
was  a  warrant  charging  Howard  witli  the  larceny  of  Ijpn.OOO.  So  I 
proceeded  to  the  wharf,  and  Mr.  Specht  was  with  sue.  He  said: 
''We  will  go  down,  and  I  may  see  him  on  the  front  of  the  boat,  and 


a 


^ 


merely 
le  same 
entered 

to  this 

did  you 
under- 
Fairfax 
imboat, 
under 
Officer 
hands 

oward? 

kvarraut 
link;  at 
I  have 
lint  was 

3  issued 

[1  heard 


o,  sir. 
A.  It  is 

Liecline? 


en  dulv 

•e .  force 

suppose 

)4?     A. 

It  was 

mt  was 
to  the 
lat  tl)is 
.  80  I 
e  said: 
at,  and 


65 

if  I  do  I  will  point  him  out  to  you."  We  went  down  to  the  wharf, 
and  when  the  boat  came  up  we  examined  the  boat,  but  could  not 
find  him.     He  did  not  come  up  on  the  boat  that  day. 

Q.  You  had  a  warrant  in  your  possession  at  the  time?  A.  Yes, 
sir;  and  if  I  had  seen  him  there  I  would  have  taken  him  into  cus- 
tody.    Those  were  my  instructions,  and  that  was  my  duty. 

Q.  How  long  did  you  keep  that  warrant?  A.  I  had  that  warrant, 
as  near  as  I  can  recollect,  about  a  week. 

Q.  And  were  you  keeping  a  lookout  for  Howard? — A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Were  you  able  to  execute  it?  A.  No,  sir;  I  didn't  see  him  at 
all. 

Q.  What  did  you  do  with  the  warrant?  A.  I  either  put  it  on  the 
file  or  it  was  mislaid  in  some  way.  I  didn't  see  anything  more  of 
the  warrant  afterward.  It  was  searched  for  afterward  by  the  cap- 
tain and  myself,  but  we  could  not  find  it.  What  became  of  the  war- 
rant I  don't  know,  but  I  think  it  was  mislaid  by  either  being  put  on 
the  desk  or  being  put  on  the  file,  as  near  as  I  o^n  remember.  That 
has  been  a  good  while  ago. 

Q.  Were  you  present  when  the  warrant  was  sworn  out?  A.  Yes, 
sir. 

Q.  Who  administered  tiie  oath  to  Mr.  Specht?  A.  Mayor 
Strauss. 

Q.  And  it  was  upon  that  sworn  information  then  that  the  war- 
rant was  issued?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

THE  SECOND  WARRANT. 

Friday,  March  25,  1898. 

Met  pursuant  to  adjournment  at  the  office  of  Hon.  James  M.  Love, 
in  Fairfax  court-house,  Va.,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.,  Mr.  Hogg,  represent- 
ing the  defendants,  being  present,  no  representative  appearing  for 
the  plaintifiP. 

Hon.  James  M.  Love,  a  witness  on  behalf  of  the  defendants,  hav- 
ing been  duly  sworn,  testified  as  follows: 
By  Mr.  Hogg: 

Q.  What  is  your  position?  A.  I  am  judge  of  the  county  courts 
of  Fairfax  and  Alexandria  counties. 

Q.  Is  that  an  appointive  office?  A.  No,  sir;  I  was  elected  by  the 
Legislature  of  Virginia. 

Q.  How  long  liave  you  been  judge  of  the  county  courts  of  Fair- 
fax and  Alexandria  counties?    A.  I  suppose  about  eleven  months. 

Q.  What  is  the  jurisdiction  of  your  courts?  A.  I  have  exclusive 
original  jurisdiction  in  criminal  matters,  and  I  also  act  as  a  pro- 
bate court  and  ps  a  court  of  appellate  jurisdiction  to  hear  appeals 
from  magistrates'  decisions. 

Q.  And  in  civil  cases?  A.  That  is,  in  civil  cases.  A  magistrate 
had  jurisdiction  in  civil  cases  up  to  a  certain  amount,  and  in  certain 
criminal  matters  he  had  jurisdiction. 


I 


66 

Q.  What  was  your  positiou  iu  May,  1894?  A.  I  was  attorney 
for  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  for  Fairfax  county. 

Q.  As  such,  what  were  your  duties  with  reference  to  criminal 
matters,  so  far  as  trial  was  concerned?  A.  I  occupied  the  same 
position,  I  imagine,  as  the  crown  attorney  in  England.  I  had  the 
prosecution  of  all  criuiiual  proceedings  in  the  courts. 

Q.  You  prepared  all  the  indictments?  A.  1  prepared  all  indict- 
ments and  prosecuted  the  cases. 

Q.  You  laid  complaints  before  the  grand  jury  to  get  the  result  of 
its  consideration?  A.  Yes,  sir;  by  sending  witnesses  before  the 
grand  jury,  and  if  a  true  bill  were  returned  then  my  duty  was  to 
prosecute  the  case  before  the  petit  jury. 

Q.  Do  you  remember  being  instrumental,  in  May,  ISOi,  iu  having 
a  warrant  issued,  or  in  advising,  in  your  othcial  capacity  as  Com- 
monwealth's attorney,  the  issue  of  a  warrant  against  one  Granby  S. 
Howard?  A.  Yes,  sir;  I  recall  that.  1  do  not  remember  the 
month,  but  I  think  that  is  about  the  time.  The  information  upon 
which  the  warrant  was  issued  was  obtained  on  the  oath  of  Mr. 
Joseph  ISpecht,  said  oath  having  been  made  before  Mr.  J.  K.  Taylor. 
J.  1*.  This  warrant  was  really  drawn  under  my  supervision,  by  my 
own  hand  or  under  my  directions. 

Q.  After  that,  so  far  as  concerned,  the  efforts  to  execute  the  war- 
rant, I  suppose,  you  would  not  know  personally?  A.  I  do  not  re- 
member what  was  done.  Tliat  went  into  the  hands  of  the  sheriff, 
I  imagine. 

Q.  Then  the  further  proceedings  on  the  warrant  up  to  the  time 
of  the  indictment  would  not  be  within  your  knowledge?  A.  No, 
sir. 

Q.  Then  some  time  later,  do  you  remember  the  matter  coming  up 
again  in  your  official  capacity  as  Commonwealth's  attorney?  A. 
I  do. 

Q.  What  was  done  then?  A.  As  attorney  fo-  the  Common- 
wealth I  laid  the  case  before  the  grand  jury. 

Q.  You  prepared  the  indictments?  A.  I  prepared  the  indict- 
ments and  sent  the  case  to  the  grand  jury,  who  returned  true  bills 
in  both  cases. 

(Objected  to  and  objection  sustained.) 


AN  INTERSTATE  REQUISITION. 

Q.  When  the  warrant  was  issued  iu  May,  1894,  were  you  instru- 
mental in  getting  a  requisition  from  the  Governor  of  Virginia?  A. 
1  was. 

Q.  For  what  purpose?  A.  In  order  to  get  the  body  of  Howard, 
and  in  order  that  he  might  be  tried  for  this  alleged  offense. 

Q.  To  whom  was  that  requisition  issued?  A.  I  asked  the  Gov- 
ernor of  Virginia  to  issue  a  requisition  for  Howard,  who  I  had 
reason  to  believe  was  in  New  York  city. 

Q.  Then  your  application  was  for  a  requisition  from  the  Gov- 


67 


ernor  of  Virginia  upon  the  (iovornor  of  New  York  to  apprehend 
Howard?  A.  Yes,  sir;  for  whom  a  warrant  luid  been  issued  in 
[Fairfax  county. 

il  You  state  tliat  tliis  warrant  was  issued  upon  oaiii.     Was  the 
|iDforination  upon  wliieh  the  warrant  was  issued  written  or  verbal? 
A.  [  imagine  that  it  was  written,  though  I  cannot  distinctly  re- 
|('all.     I  imagine  the  information  and  warrant  were  together. 

Q.  These  indictments,  you  say,  have  never  been  tried  before  a 
pclil  jury? 

(Objected  to  and  objection  sustained.) 

ANOTHER  WASHINOTON  WITNESS. 

Friday,  March  1^5,  l.S'JH. 

Met  pursuant  to  adjournment,  at  the  oUice  of  Mr.  Aaron  Johns, 
No.  844  D  street,  N.  W.,  Washington,  D.  C,  at  .'J:15  o'clock  p.  m., 
Mr.  Hogg,  representing  the  defendants,  being  present,  no  representa- 
tive appearing  for  the  plaintiff. 

William  Walter  Haislip,  a  witness  on  behalf  of  the  defendants, 
having  been  duly  sworn,  testified  as  follows: 
By  Mr.  Hogg: 

Q.  Where  do  you  reside?  A.  2(K{;{  Ninth  street,  N.  W.,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Q.  What  business  do  you  carry  on?     A.  Grocery. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  been  carrying  on  that  business?  A. 
About  four  years. 

Q.  What  were  you  doing  prior  to  that?  A.  I  had  charge  of  Mr. 
Specht's  farm,  Gunston  Hall,  Va. 

Q.  Did  you  know  Granby  S.  Howard,  the  plaintiff  in  this  case? 
A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Where  was  he  at  the  time  you  were  at  Gunston  Hall?  A.  He 
lived  at  his  residence,  just  below  Gunston  Hall.  It  was  part  of  the 
same  farm,  only  about  half  a  mile  from  Gunston  Hall. 

Q.  What  was  he  doing  there?  A.  I  can  hardly  tell  you  what  he 
was  doing;  he  didn't  seem  to  be  doing  much  except  working  the 
old  gentleman.  I  mean  by  that,  getting  all  he  could  out  of  Mr. 
Joseph  Specht. 

Q.  What  was  he  actually  doing  there?  Was  he  farming  or 
what?  A.  He  claimed  he  was  carrying  on  a  kind  of  a  religion 
down  there. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  have  any  conversation  with  him?  A.  Yes,  sir; 
I  have  heard  him  sj)eak  of  it  a  great  numy  times. 

Q.  Was  he  much  at  Gunston  Hall?     A.  About  every  day. 

Q.  Who  else  was  living  at  Gunston  Hall  at  that  time?  A.  Mrs. 
Specht  and  her  husband  and  son  and  little  girl.  Mr.  vSpecht  was 
gone  nearly  four  months  at  one  time. 


w 


THE  DOCTOR  TESTIFIES  ABOIT  HIMSELFI 

BIT  REFISES  TO  ANSWER  MANY 

OF  THE  QIESTIONS. 


Philosophy  of  the  Priest,  Kings  of  India  and  the  Doings  of  Thcii] 

American  Followers. 


EVIDENCE  OF  THE  SAGE  OF  ARU'S   FOLLOWERS  PLACEDl 
IN  THE  WITNESS  BOX  IN  REBUTTAL. 


(Special  to  the  Star.) 


Perth,  Ont.,  April  28. — Interest  in  the  big  libel  case  was  main  I 
tained  up  to  the  very  last,  tlie  crowds  inside  the  court  room  increasi 
ing  as  the  hearing  proceeded.  The  reading  of  the  evidence  tala'n| 
by  the  commission  in  the  United  States  was  continued  as  follows: 

Q.  Were  Dr.  Howard  and  Mrs.  Specht  together  much?  A.  OhJ 
yes;  a  great  deal.  I  have  seen  them  go  into  the  house  togethcr,| 
and  I  have  seen  tiiem  many  times  in  the  house. 

Q.  Did  you  notice  what  elfect  Howard  had  upon  Mrs.  Specht?! 
A.  Oh,  yes,  sir.  I  think  he  had  a  bad  effect.  She  was  so  disagree-; 
able  that  nobody  could  hardly  live  there  in  the  family  in  peace.  Mr.| 
Specht  could  hardly  live  there  at  times. 

Q.  What  did  Mr.  Specht  do  about  that?     A.  He  didn't  say  or  do| 
anything  very  much.    He  would  go  off,  and  when  things  got  paci- 
fied he  would  come  back. 

TRIED  TO  PACIFY  HER. 

Q.  Did  you  observe  that  he  tried  to  pacify  Mrs.  Specht?  A.  Oh,| 
yes;  I  think  he  tried  to  pacify  her. 

Q.  How  did  he  act  toward  her?  A.  It  seemed  to  me  he  did  all| 
for  her  tliat  any  mortal  man  could  do. 

Q.  What  do  you  say  about  Mr.  Specht  and  his  character?  Howl 
have  you  found  him?  A.  I  have  found  Mr.  Specht  to  be  a  very  nice| 
gentleman.  I  don't  think  there  could  be  anything  said  against  Mr. 
Specht  so  far  as  his  character  is  concerned,  not  down  there.  He  I 
made  a  great  many  friends  all  through  that  neighborhood,  and  mo8t| 
all  the  people  there  felt  very  sorry  for  him. 

Charles  E.  Flinder,  a  witness  for  the  defendants,  having  been  duly| 
8 worn,  testified  as  follows: 


69 

By  Mr.  Hogg: 
Q.  Where  do  you  reside?    A.  At  407  Second  street  N.  W.,  Wash- 
ington. 

Q.  What  is  your  occupation?  A.  At  the  present  time  I  am  an 
)fficer  of  the  Bottlers'  Protective  Association  of  the  District  of  Co- 
lombia. 

Q.  What  was  your  occupation  in  1894?  A.  I  was  a  private  de- 
fective. 

Q.  Attached  to  any  bureau  of  detectives?  A.  W.  Williams',  an 
iuthorized  detective  agency,  authorized  by  the  Commissioners  of 
the  District  of  Columbia. 

Q.  You  remember  about  May,  1894,  receiving  a  warrant?    A. 
fes,  sir. 
Q.  From  whom  did  you  receive  the  warrant?    A.  I  think  the 
/arrant  was  sent  by  mail  from  Fairfax  court-house  to  Mr.  Specht 
It  the  National  Hotel,  and  1  received  it  from  him. 

Q.  Did  he  come  to  you  with  the  warrant?    A.  No,  sir.     I  reported 
to  him  every  day  at  the  National  Hotel. 
Q.  Then  you  went  there  and  received  the  warrant  from  him?     A. 
es,  sir. 

Q.  Had  he  in  the  meantime  told  you  that  he  would  want  you  for 
some  service  of  that  kind?     A.  He  had  employed    me  to  locate 
loward. 

Q.  That  was  prior  to  your  receiving  the  warrant?  A.  Yes,  sir. 
Q.  What  did  you  do  in  resi>ect  to  locating  Howard  before  you  re- 
Iceived  the  warrant?  A.  I  went  to  Burlington,  N.  J.,  and  made 
JBome  inquiries  there  regarding  this  man,  but  he  hadn't  been  there. 
lit  appeared  he  had  been  there,  but  he  wasn't  there  at  the  time  I 
Iwcut  there.  Then  I  sent  two  people  down  to  Gunston  Hall,  to  watch 
iHoward's  wife,  thinking  he  would  get  some  communication  from 
Iher.  Then  she  left  there,  and  came  to  Washington,  and  resided  for 
ja  time  with  a  man  named  Sprague,  on  Sixth  street  S.  E.  Then  I 
[watched  Sprague's  house. 

Q.  Was  this  before  or  after  tlie  warrant  was  in  your  hands?     A. 
lAfter. 

Q.  Then  all  this  you  have  stated  about  locating  Howard  was  after 
|the  warrant  was  in  your  hands?    A,  Oh,  yes,  indeed. 

Q.  Before  you  go  vny  further,  do  you  remember  the  day  you  got 
|the  warrant  in  May?     A.  That  is  an  impossibility. 

Q.  I  have  here  a  certified  vopy  of  the  warrant,  which  you  may 

loolv  at.     (After  looking  at  the  certified  copy  of  the  warrant.)     A. 

{According  to  the  best  of  my  recoll»>('tioii  May  14,  1894,  was  the 

plate  it  was  issued,  because  it  was  about  that  time  that  I  received  it. 

THK  EXTRADITION  PROCEEDINGS. 

Q.  What  did  you  do  after  that?     A.  As  I  have  said,  Mrs.  Howard 
|<'aiiie  back  to  Washington,  and  stoj)ped  on  Sixth  street  S.  E.,  at  the 
louse  of  a  man  named  Sprague.     T  v/atched  Mrs.  Howard,  and  ooe 


I 


% 


70 


M 


day  I  saw  her  go  into  the  postottice  on  G  street.  I  went  in  behind 
her.  She  went  to  the  money-order  department  and  took  a  blanli, 
and  I  took  one  ready  to  fill  it  out,  but  really  I  was  virtually,  while 
pretending  to  till  out  a  blank,  looking  over  her  shoulder,  and  found 
where  she  was  sending  the  money  to,  and  the  address  and  name,  and 
everything.  I  immediately  reported  the  fact  to  Mr.  Specht,  and  on 
that  information  we  got  out  extradition  papers. 

Q.  She  was  sending  money  to  some  oue;  to  whom?  A.  She  was 
sending  money  to  Howard. 

Q.  Was  she  i)utting  Howard's  name  on  the  paper?  A.  No,  I 
don't  til  ink  so.     I  forget  the  name  now  that  she  put  on  the  paper. 

Q.  Was  it  Wilson?  A.  I  believe  it  was.  That  sounds  very  fa- 
miliar to  me.  ]?ut  I  know  It  wasn't  Howard.  Then  I  immediately 
telegraphed  to  the  chief  of  police  in  Montreal,  and  asked  him  to  go 
to  a  certain  number  and  investigate  and  see  whether  a  certain  party 
of  a  certain  dcscri])tion  was  there.  I  had  also  sent  him  a  circular. 
In  the  meantime  I  think  I  had  got  out  a  thousand  circulars,  and 
sent  them  broadcast  throughout  this  country,  Canada  and  Nova 
Scotia. 

Q.  Circulars  to  what  effect?  A.  diving  a  description  of  this  man 
Howard,  and  to  locate  him,  and  we  would  have  the  necessary  ])a- 
pers,  and  offering  a  reward  of  so  much  money  for  the  information. 

Q.  How  much  money  was  it?  A.  That  I  can't  tell  you  exactly, 
but  I  think  it  was  $500;  I  am  pretty  certain  it  was  $500.  I  tele- 
graphed immediately  to  the  chief  of  police  of  Montreal,  calling  his 
attention  to  the  circular,  and  also  told  liini  what  it  was;  and  I  re- 
ceived a  telegram  back  from  him,  stating  that  the  man  was  there  in 
Montreal  at  such  and  such  a  number.  Then  we  got  out  extradition 
papers. 

Q.  Before  we  come  to  the  extradition  papers,  you  went  to  linrling 
ton  yourself?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

(}.  Why  did  you  go  to  Burlington — to  see  if  he  was  there?     A. 

Mr.  Specht  had  h(^ard  that  Howard  had  been  in   Burlington,  and 

thought  he  might  go  there  again.     I  went  there,  and  I  called  on 

some  doctor,  whose  name  I  forget  now,  and  who  kiu?w  Howard  very 

well,  and  he  told  me  what  sort  of  a  man  Howard  was.     T  said  I 

knew  all  about  Howard's  character  here,  but  I  wanted  to  locate  him. 

Q.  You  made  all  the  efforts  you  could  to  locate  Howard?  A.  Yes, 
sir. 

Q.  And  the  result  of  your  efforts  was,  you  say,  that  you  located 
him  at  last  in  Montreal,  Canada?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  report  that  to  Mr.  Specht?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  What  took  place  after  that?  A.  He  had  a  consultation  with 
his  attorneys,  and  at  first  they  came  to  the  conclusion  to  get  out 
extradition  papers,  and  they  were  got  out,  and  placed  in  my  hands, 
and  I  wasi  supposed  to  go  after  this  man  and  bring  him  back. 


71 


behind 
blank, 
y,  while 
d  found 
me,  and 
and  ou 

She  was 

No,  I 
paper, 
very  fn- 
ediately 
11  to  go 
in  party 
circular. 
iir.M,  and 
1(1  Nova 

his  mail 
sary  pa- 

lation. 
exactly, 
I  tele- 

lling  his 

md  I  re- 
there  in 

iradition 


Hurling- 


^re?  A. 
on,  and 
illed  ou 
ird  very 
r  said  T 
Eite  him. 
A.  Yes, 

located 


on  with 
get  out 
'  hands, 


OUT  OF  IIAKM'H  WAY. 

But  after  further  consultation  they  thought  the  matter  would 
make  so  much  notoriety,  and  Mr.  Specht  having  a  kindly  feeling 
toward  his  wife,  and  not  wanting  to  bring  her  into  court  to  testify, 
they  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  better  to  let  the  man 
stay  where  he  was,  as  he  was  out  of  harm's  way  in  Canada,  and 
couldn't  do  any  harm  here. 

Q.  The  extradition  papers  were  jirepared  and  placed  in  your 
hands?     A.  There  is  no  doubt  about  that. 

Q.  \Yhat  did  you  do  with  those  papers?  A.  I  returned  them  to 
Mr.  Specht,  and  I  suppose  he  returned  them  to  the  proper  authori- 
ties.    That  is  what  should  have  been  done. 

Q.  Did  you  proceed  to  New  York?  A.  No,  I  didn't  go  to  New 
York  after  I  got  the  reciiiisilion  jiapers? 

Q.  But  you  did  go  to  New  York  with  the  warrant?  A.  Oh,  yes. 
We  didn't  regard  any  other  papers  except  the  warrant. 

Q.  You  went  to  New  York  witli  the  warrant  for  the  puri)ose  of 
apprehending  Howard?  A.  Yes,  sir;  and  found  that  he  had 
skipped  to  Canada. 

Q.  Do  you  know  how  many  days  it  was  after  you  got  the  war- 
rant when  you  went  to  New  York?  A.  I  went  right  away;  I  am 
pretty  certain  I  did.  For  instance,  if  T  got  the  warrant  to-day  1 
certainly  went  to  New  York  to-day. 

Q.  Was  it  after  you  had  gone  to  New  York  that  you  v/ent  to 
Burlington?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Then  it  was  after  you  had  made  these  efforts  to  locate  Howard 
that  a  requisition  of  the  (lovenior  of  Yirginia  was  placed  in  your 
hands?    A.  Oli,  yes. 

Q.  A  requisition  upon  the  (Jovernor  of  New  York?  A.  The  requi- 
sition was  upon  the  (Jovernor  of  New  York,  but  you  see  when  I  got 
to  New  York  and  found  he  had  gone  to  Canada,  then  of  course  that 
ended  the  usefulness  of  that  requisition. 

Q.  Then  you  had  the  warrant  as  well  as  the  requisition  when  you 
went  to  New  York?  A.  No.  The  warrant  was  only  to  apprehend 
him.  I  didn't  want  to  lose  any  time.  My  object  was  to  have 
Howard  apprehend(H]  and  hold  him  until  I  could  get  a  requisition. 
But  it  is  not  necessary  to  wait  for  requisition  papers.  You'  can 
have  a  man  apprehended  and  held  so  many  days. 

Q.  When  did  you  get  the  requisition;  when  you  came  back  here? 
A.  When  I  came  back. 

Q.  What  did  you  do  with  the  requisition  of  the  Governor  of  Vir- 
ginia?   A.  I  returned  it  to  Mr.  Specht. 


f^ '. 


72 

Saturday,  March  26,  1898. 

Met  puraaant  to  adjournment,  at  the  business  house  of  Browning 
&  Middleton,  608  Pennsylvania  avenue,  Washington,  D.  C,  at  4:30 
o'clock  p.  m.,  Mr.  Hogg  appearing  on  behalf  of  the  defendants,  no 
representative  appearing  on  behalf  of  the  plaintiff. 

Horatio  Browning,  a  witness  called  on  behalf  of  the  defendants, 
having  been  duly  sworn,  testified  as  follows: 


Mr.  W.  D.  Hock.  Q*  <^«<  C*unHel  for  Defendant. 


J  i. 


By  Mr.  Hogg: 

Q.  You  live  in  Washington,  Mr.  Browning?     A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  there?    A.  Nearly  fifty  years. 

Q.  What  business  do  you  carry  on?  A,  I  have  been  in  the 
grocery  business  since  1850. 

Q.  Have  you  also  been  connected  with  :iny  financial  concerns? 
A.  I  have  been  connected  with  the  Central  National  Bank,  as  a 
director,  for  twenty  years. 

Q.  Did  you  know  Dr.  G.  S.  Howard,  the  plaintiff  in  this  action? 
A.  Yes.  sir. 

Q.  When  did  you  know  him?     A.  In  1892. 

Q.  Did  he  tell  you  anything  about  his  religious  views?  A.  Not 
until  the  latter  part  of  our  acquaintanot'.  Perhaps  it  was  six 
months  before  he  left  before  he  told  me  anything  in  that  regard. 

Q.  Did  he  tell  you  what  he  was  proposing  to  do  here?  A.  Yes. 
sir.     He  said  he  was  introducing  here  a  grand  school  for  the  pur- 


198. 
ening 
4:30 
s,  no 

ants, 


73 

pose  of  teaching  occult  sciences  and  other  things  that  would  have  a 
rery  wonderful  influence  upon  the  people,  and  so  on;  that  they  were 
coming  to  his  assistance  with  money  and  other  aid  in  the  enterprise, 
and  that  he  expected  to  make  it  a  grand  success. 

WHERE  THE  MONEY  CAME  FKOM. 

Q.  Did  he  mention  who  was  coming  to  his  aid  with  money?  A. 
No,  sir;  not  that  I  remember.     I  am  not  sure  about  that,  however. 

Q.  Did  you  ascertain  who  was  supplying  him  with  uoney?  A.  1 
learned  either  from  him  or  from  some  other  source,  I  am  nof  sure 
which,  that  Mrs.  Specht  was  doing  more  for  him  than  anybody  else. 

Q.  How  does  Mr.  Joseph  Specht  stand  in  the  community?  A.  Mr. 
Specht  stands  as  high  as  any  man  in  the  State  of  Virginia,  in  my 
opinion.  I  have  been  quite  well  acquainted  with  Mr.  Specht  since 
he  introduced  himself  to  me.  1  have  done  business  with  him.  At 
one  time  I  was  assignee  of  the  National  Hotel,  and  as  such  was 
running  it  for  a  while,  and  Mr.  Specht  was  stopping  there  and  I 
took  care  of  him  as  a  guest.  I  do  not  think  I  exaggerate  when  I 
say  that  I  found  him  one  of  the  highest-toned  men  1  ever  met. 

Q.  Howard  was  a  man  who  gave  you  a  good  opinion  of  him?  A. 
Oh!  I  was  carried  away  with  him.  He  was  a  man  liable  to  attract 
attention,  being  an  extraordinary  well-preserved  man  for  his  age — 
he  was  older  than  I  am,  but  he  didn't  look  it.  He  was  a  man  of 
powerful  frame,  and  a  man  of  great  conversational  powers. 

Q.  What  kind  of  a  disposition  had  he?  A.  I  thought  he  was  a 
man  of  kindly  disposition;  that  was  my  impression. 

Q.  Insinuating  in  his  style?    A.  Yes,  sir. 


hi'  : 


the 

rns? 
as  a 

ion? 


Not 

six 

Yen, 
pur- 


Monday,  March  28,  1808. 

Mr.  Commissioner  Thornton  and  his  clerk  met  at  the  office  of  the 
Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia,  in  the  Capitol  build- 
ing in  Richmond,  Va.,  at  10  o'clock  a.  m.,  this  date,  for  the  purpose 
of  taking  further  testimony  under  tliis  commission,  no  representa- 
tive of  either  the  plaintiff  or  of  the  defendants  appearing 

Joseph  Lawless,  a  witness  on  behalf  of  the  defendantt\  having 
been  duly  sworn,  le.stilied  as  follows: 
liy  the  Commissioner: 

Q.  riease  state  your  ollicial  position,  Mr.  Lawless?     A.  1  am  See 
retary  of  the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia. 

Q.  As  Secretary  of  the  Commonwealth,  have  you  in  your  cnstody 
the  warrants  or  requisition  papers  issued  by  the  Governor  of  \'ir- 
ginia  on  the  Governors  of  other  Stntes?  A.  Under  the  law  T  am  re- 
quired, as  Secretary  of  the  Comnioii wealth,  to  keep  on  file  in  my 
department  all  of  the  executive  jjajfers,  and  have  in  fact  the  original 
application  lujule  by  the  Commonwealth's  Attorney  for  the  county 
of  Fairfax,  for  a  requisition  on  the  (^lovernor  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  for  Granby  Staunton  Howard,  alias  Dr.  (i.  S.  Howard, charged 


m 


74 

in  said  county  of  Fairfax  witli  obtaining  money  under  false  pre- 
tenses,  which  requisition  was  issued  on  the  IGth  day  of  May,  1894. 
I  hold  the  original  papers  in  my  hand.  The  application  is  made  by 
the  Commonwealth's  Attorney  of  Fairfax  county,  on  the  strength 
of  0  warrant  sworn  out  by  Joseph  Specht,  of  the  county  of  Fairfax, 
on  the  14th  day  of  May,  1894,  before  John  R.  Taylor,  a  justice  of  the 
peace  of  said  county. 

THE  I'APERS  AI.L  UE(}ITLAK. 

The  fvarranl  is  duly  signed  by  the  said  John  K.  Taylor,  justice  of 
the  peace,  and  attested  before  F.  W.  Richardson,  clerk  of  the  county 
court,  of  the  county  of  Fairfax,  under  the  seal  of  said  county  court. 

Q.  Mr.  Lawless,  I  now  hand  you  what  purports  to  be  a  certitied 
copy,  over  your  own  signature,  as  Secretary  of  the  (Jonnnonwealth 
of  Virginia",  of  the  warrant,  to  which  you  have  just  referred,  sworn 
out  by  Joseph  Specht,  of  said  county  of  Fairfax,  before  John  R. 
Taylor,  a  justice  of  the  peace.  Do  you  recognize  your  signature, 
and  is  that  in  fact  a  certitied  copy  of  said  warrant?  A.  I  have  ex- 
amined the  signature  alHxed  to  said  certitied  copy  which  you  have 
just  handed  me,  as  well  as  the  copy  itself,  and  do  recognize  my  signa- 
ture, and  do  say  that  it  is  a  correct  copy  of  the  original,  to  which  I 
have  alluded  above. 

Q.  What  is  the  rule  of  your  deparlmeut  as  to  warrants  and  rcijui- 
sitions  being  returned  to  the  department  to  be  filed,  and  do  these 
documents  come  within  the  general  rule?  A.  The  documents  con- 
tain the  original  signatures  of  the  proper  ollicers  recpiired  under 
the  law  to  make  application  for  re(iulsition  j)apers.  A  duplicate 
of  this  warrant  accompanied  the  requisition  papers  on  the  (lovernor 
of  the  State  of  New  York,  wliich  are  given  to  Mr.  Joseph  Specht  for 
execution.  Those  papers  have  never  been  returned  to  this  depart- 
ment, and  are  not  required  under  the  law  to  be  so  returned. 

A  copy  of  said  api)lication  and  accompanying  papers,  duly  certi- 
fied by  the  commissioner  taking  these  depositions,  is  filed  herewith. 

This  completed  the  evidence  taken  by  the  commission,  the  return 
of  the  commission  including  the  following  declaration: 

The  United  States  of  America,  District  of  Columbia,  city  of 
Washington,  in  tlie  High  Court  of  Justice.  Ciranby  S.  Howard, 
plaintifl',  vs.  Graham  &  Co.,  defendants. 

I,  R,  E.  Thornton,  of  Fairfax,  in  the  State  of  Virginia,  one  of  the 
United  States  of  America,  counsellor-at-law,  do  make  oath  and  say: 

1.  That  in  execution  of  the  commission  directed  to  me  in  this  case, 
I  have  taken  the  depositions  of  witnesses  whose  names,  residences 
and  additions  are  as  follows:  Joseph  Specht,  gentleman,  of  Guns 
ton  Hall,  Va.;  Rev.  Joseph  A.  Specht,  of  the  city  of  Washington, 
D.  C,  clerk  in  holy  orders;  Aurelius  Allan,  farmer;  William  S.  Free- 
man, farmer;  Mary  Freeman,  his  wife;  T.  F.  Chapman,  farmer,  all 
of  Gunston,  Fairfax  county,  Va.;  John  Sheppard,  of  Accotink,  in  the 
county  of  Fairfax,  Va.,  fisherman;  Henry  Strauss,  merchant;  Cap- 


■■•TM«».a(<rf-«iwiP!t!rTfT-^'  —• frsrirsp- 


76 


pre- 

S<)4. 
i  by 

lax, 
f  (he 


tain  JameB  F.  Webster,  chief  of  police;  JJauner  T.  Young,  police  offi- 
cer; all  of  Alexandria,  in  the  county  of  Alexandria,  Va.;  Hon.  James 
M.  Love,  judge  of  the  county  court  of  the  county  of  Fairfax,  Va.; 
William  Walter  Ilaislip,  grocer;  Charles  E.  Fliner,  detective,  and 
Horatio  Browning,  gro(!er,  all  of  Washington,  1).  ('.;  and  of  Hon. 
Joseph  T.  Lawless,  Hecretary  of  the  Goninionwealth,  of  Uich- 
moud,  Va. 

2.  That  before  proceeding  with  the  execution  of  the  said  com- 
mission, I  attended  before  the  Hon.  Charles  C.  Cole,  one  of  the  as- 
sociate justices  of  the  suprenu'  court  of  the  District  of  (Columbia, 
who  administeit'd  to  nie  the  oath  required  under  this  conunission, 
which  oath  is  hcieto  attached. 

3.  That  before  jjroceeding  with  the  execution  of  tin?  said  commis- 
sion, I  apiK)int('d  Mr.  Aaron  Johns,  of  the  city  of  Washington,  D.  C, 
my  clerk,  and  administered  to  him  the  oath  prescribed  by  this  com- 
mission. 

4.  That  in  the  execution  of  the  said  commission  I  duly  aduiinis- 
tered  the  proper  oath  to  each  and  every  one  of  the  witnesses  above 
named,  which  oath  was  so  administered  before  the  taking  of  the 
depositions  of  the  said  witnesses. 

5.  That  the  said  depositions  were  taken  down  in  shorthand  by  the 
said  Aaron  Jolins,  which  shorthand  was  dtily  and  properly  extended 
by  him,  and  that  the  taking  down  of  the  said  testimony  and  the  ex- 
tension theieof  in  typewriting  were  truly  and  correctly  done. 

6.  That  I  identify  the  viva  voce  questions  and  evidence  taken  as 
those  annexed  by  me  to  the  commission  herein,  and  as  being  those 
which  were  propounded  and  given  under  the  said  commission. 

Subscribed  and  sworn  to  before  me.  this  iirst  day  of  Ajjril,  A.  D. 
181)8. 

E.  F.  BINGHAM, 
Chief  Justice  Superior  Court,  D.  C,  U.  8.  A. 

The  reading  of  the  commission  over,  or  rather  extracts  from  it, 
Mr.  Osier  suggested  tiiat  the  j)laintilT  should  have  the  right  to  have 
any  that  had  been  omitted  read.  Mr.  Osier  went  on  to  exi)lain  that 
the  plaintiff  in  the  case,  Howard,  had  been  examined  for  discovery, 
and  some  of  the  evidence  then  obtained  from  the  plaintilT  was  inter- 
esting by  reason  of  what  the  plaintiff  had  to  say  for  himself,  and 
what  he  refused  to  say.  Mr.  Osier  ])roceeded  to  read  extracts  from 
the  examination,  which  in  full  read  as  follows: 


n 


It 


HOWARD'S  OWN  STORY, 


The   Plainiiir,   Dr.   €4.  M.  Howard,  the   Hnge   of  Am   and   »raa« 
Sponsor  of  the  Occidental  Order  oi  the  Sat-Bai-Oooha. 

In  the  High  Court  of  Justice. — Between  Granby  S.  Howard, 
plaintiff,  and  Graham  &  Co.,  defendants. 

Examination  of  Granby  S.  Howard,  the  plaintiff,  herein,  takem 
before  me  this  2l8t  day  of  January,  1898,  pursuant  to  my  appoint- 
ment, dated  the  17th  day  of  January,  1898. 

(Signed)  W.  L.  SCOTT, 

Master  at  Ottawa. 


Mr.  T.  K.  Allen,  for  plaintiff;  Mr.  W.  D.  Hogg,  Q.  C,  and  Mr.  F. 
A.  Magee,  for  defendants. 
To  Mr.  Hogg: 

Q.  You  are  the  plaintiff  in  this  action?     A.  I  am. 

Q.  Y''ou  live  at  Carleton  Place?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  there?    A.  Since  the  month  of  Oc- 
tober, 1895  or  189G. 

Q.  That  would  be  less  than  a  year  and  a  half?    A.  I  have  been 
there  over  two  years — the  month  of  October,  1895. 

Q.  Whore  did  you  come  from  to  Carleton  Place?     A.  I  came  from 
Kemptville. 


77 

Q.  How  long  have  you  lived  in  Kemptville?  A.  From  August, 
1804,  to  that  time  in  1895. 

Q.  And  then  you  went  to  Carleton  Place?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  Where  were  you  prior  to  August,  1894?  A.  I  was  in  Montreal 
from  the  24th  of  May,  1894,  until  I  went  to  Kemptville. 

Q.  What  was  your  business  in  these  places?  A.  In  Kemptville 
I  was  part  of  the  time  selling  agricultural  implements.  I  assisted 
another  man. 

Q.  At  Carleton  Pluco  what  business  were  you  engaged  in?  A. 
The  same  as  I  am  now;  manufacturing  drugs,  medicines,  etc. 

Q.  Are  you  a  medical  man?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  Where  did  you  get  your  degree?  A.  I  have  two  or  three  de- 
grees; some  in  the  United  States  and  some  at  home. 

Q.  Where  is  your  home?  A.  In  England.  I  have  no  degree  from 
England,  but  I  have  degrees  from  the  United  States. 

Q.  What  college?    The  Wisconsin  Medical  College. 

Q.  Any  other?    A.  No. 

Q.  Did  you  practice  the  profession  of  medicines?    A.  Yes,  I  have. 

Q.  Where?    A.  In  Washington  and  other  places. 

Q.  As  a  general  medical  practitioner?  A.  Yes;  specialist  more 
particularly. 

Q.  What  was  the  special  practice  that  you  followed?  A.  Nervous 
diseases  and  nose  and  throat. 

Q.  When  did  you  come  to  the  United  States  from  England?  A. 
In  1884, 1  think  it  was. 

Q.  Did  you  come  to  the  United  States  from  England?    A.  No,  sir. 


AN  ACCIDENT  AT  QUEBEC. 

Q.  Where  did  you  come  from  when  you  came  to  the  United 
States?  A.  I  was  traveling  witli  my  wife  for  a  number  of  years 
previous  to  that,  for  her  health;  over  the  world.  We  have  not  been 
located  for  many  years.  I  just  crosstni  over  through  the  United 
States  on  my  way  to  EngUnd,  and  met  with  an  accident  in  Quebec, 
and  came  back  to  Montreal,  and  was  detained  there  in  1886  and 
went  into  business  there. 

Q.  Where  was  your  place  of  residence  in  England?  A.  We  lived 
in  the  North  of  England,  in  the  county  of  Northumberland. 

Q.  Had  you  any  property  there?    A.  No. 

Q.  Never  had  any  property  there?     A.  Our  people  had. 

Q.  Much  property?    A.  Some  little. 

Q.  What  kind  of  property?     A.  Some  landed  property. 

Q.  You  yourself  had  no  property  there?    A.  No. 

Q.  What  family  do  you  belong  to  of  the  Howards  in  the  North 
of  England? 

(Objected  vo.) 

(Master  rules  that  it  is  a  proper  question.) 

(Witness  refuses  to  answer  on  advice  of  counsel.) 

Q.  W^hen  did  you  come  to  Fairfax  county,  Va.?    A.  I  cannot  tell 


■f»: 


I  ■ 


78 


you  the  day  of  the  mouth,  ll  was  some  lime,  1  thiuk,  in  June  or 
July,  1891. 

Q.  Had  you  been  in  India  i)iior  (o  tliat?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  How  louj;  were  you  in  India?     A.  1  cannot  say  exactly. 

Q.  I'rior  (o  your  coming'  to  Fairfax?  A.  1  was  in  Montreal  when 
1  went  to  Fairfax. 

Q.  When  was  it  you  were  in  India?  A.  After  the  mutiny  and 
throuj;li  that  time. 

Q.  How  lonjj;'  were  you  in  India? 

(Witness  refuses  to  answer.) 

Q.  While  you  wcie  in  India  did  you  associate  yourself  with  a  re- 
ligious order  of  people  called  ilrahmins? 

(Witness  refuses  to  answer.) 

Q.  You  know  there  is  a  religious  teaching  called  Brahminism? 
A.  I  do. 

Q.  Did  you  become  one  of  the  disciples  or  ai)ostle8  of  that  re- 
ligion? 

(Witness  refuses  to  answer.) 

Q.  When  you  went  to  Fairfax,  Va.,  in  18!)1,  did  you  promul- 
gate or  endeavor  to  promulgate  the  teachings  of  Hrahminism? 
A.  I  would  hardly  think  it  could  be  put  in  that  way.  -There  was 
organized  in  St.  I^ouis  in  May,  18!)1,  a  society  with  that  in  view,  and 
I  knew  and  know  of  the  do(!triues,  and  an  arrangement  was  made 
to  found  an  institution  of  this  association  at  Fairfax,  and  it  was 
arranged  that  1  should  take  charge  of  this  institution. 

Q.  As  what?  A.  As  a  home  for  tiie  people  of  this  association, 
where,  when  they  became  old,  they  might  come  and  live,  and  where 
they  might  study  the  philosophy  of  the  East,  and  the  idea  was  to 
get  a  charter  and  form  an  institution  to  cover  all  the  dififerent  fields 
of  pliilosophy. 

Q.  What  were  you  to  be?    A.  I  was  to  be  at  the  head. 

Q.  What  was  your  title  as  head  of  it?  A.  No  title  at  all.  It  was 
not  organized  into  a  society  having  a  legal  standing  in  the  country. 

Q.  Did  it  ever  become  organized?     A.  No;  it  was  not  chartered. 

Q.  It  was  not  organized  in  that  sense?  A.  No;  I  mean  to  get  a 
Congressional  chai'ter. 

Q.  Was  this  the  first  time  that  you  had  taken  up  the  question 
of  the  philosophy  of  the  East?    A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  You  had  been  studying  this  before?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  And  by  the  "East"  you  mean  amongst  other  countries,  India? 
A.  Yes. 

Q.  W^here  you  had  imbibed  some  of  this  philosophy,  I  suppose? 
A.  Yes, 

Q.  This  was  at  St.  Louis?    The  organization  was  made  there. 

Q.  How  did  you  become  acquainted  with  that  organization? 
A.  The  organization  was  formed  while  I  was  at  St.  Louis. 

Q.  W^as  it  through  your  instrumentality  it  was  formed?  A.  Yes; 
in  part.    I  could  hardly  claim  to  be  the  father  of  it  in  that  way. 


79 


re- 


re- 


Q.  Voii  were  instrumental  in  promoting  it?  A.  I  had  nothing  to 
do  with  the  promotion  of  11.  r  went  to  Jeil'erson  Ciiy  and  assisted 
a  friend  wlio  was  to  deliver  a  le(;tiire  on  Oriental  philosophy,  and  I 
delivered  llie  lecture  for  him,  and  I  met  somo  people  from  St.  Louis, 
and  was  asked  to  come  there  and  be  a  guest  at  tlieir  house  to  see 
what  could  he  done,  hut  the  things  going  on  in  St.  Louis  have  been 
going  on  a  number  of  years,  and  the  matter  was  put  in  that  shajte. 

Q.  ^^■hen  you  met  these  people  ar  St.  Louis  did  yon  make  any  rep- 
resentati(uis  as  to  your  standing  among  the  phiIanthroi)ists?  A.  No, 
sir;  I  nevei'  had  anything  to  do  with  them. 

Q.  Did  you  make  any  repres<'utalions  as  lo  your  being  the  head 
of  a  religious  ordei",  having  its  h.ea(i(|uarlers  and  council  in  India? 
A.  I  made  representations  of  nothing  of  the  kind  further  than  in  the 
course  of  conversations  it  was  natur;'!  to  refer  to  me  as  lieing  the 
one  that  was  at  the  head  of  it. 

Q.  Did  you  tell  them  yon  were  the  head  of  a  religious  order  in 
India,  or  which  had  its  heachpiarters  in  India?  A.  I  cannot  remem- 
ber having  made  that  statement. 

Q.  What  was  the  obec  i  of  that  order  for  the  dissimilation  of 
Brahniln-Tndian  philosoi)hy?  .\.  The  object  of  it  was  to  nmke  men 
live  better. 

Q.  That  the  IJrahmin-Indian  philosophv  would  make  men  live 
better?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  The  further  object  was  that  thai  was  to  be  substituted  for  the 
Christian  religion?    A.  No,  sir. 

Q.  But  the  object  was  to  establish  the  Brahmin-Indian  philosophy 
that  would  be  substituted  amongst  the  people,  who  took  it  up  for 
Christianity?    A.  I  would  not  understand  it  in  that  way. 


THIKST  KINCJS  OF  INDIA. 

Q.  What  do  you  understand  by  it?  A.  I  understand  that  the 
religion  that  was  spoken  of  there  was  as  the  i  liilosophy  of  the  priest 
kings  of  India.  They  were  an  old  tribunal  people  of  the  Kast.  and 
tlieir  religion  taught  them  to  ^enerate  the  one  (Jod  and  to  live  in  the 
life  that  lie  had  launched  ujton  the  earth,  and  they  have  their  i)hiloH- 
ophies  in  concMtion  with  these  things,  and  the.>  Itelieve  in  these 
things,  and  they  believe  in  the  Christ,  and  how  there  could  be  any 
controversy  T  do  not  know. 

Q.  You  did  not  make  these  statements,  that  it  was  to  be  a  substi- 
tute for  Christianity?  .\.  Certainly  not.  A  man  in  talking  of  these 
things  does  not  put  himself  on  guard,  and  I  do  not  know  how  far  i-e- 
niarks  may  have  been  made  that  could  Ix'  so  used;  but  this  much 
I  would  .say.  that  in  all  jtrobabilily  the  man  who  would  live  the  life 
as  taught  by  these  people — the  fathers  of  the  race — would  tind  no 
dilTiculty  in  being  (Christians,  nor  woiild  they  need  to  follow  any 
philosophy. 

Q.  When  you  introduced  yourself  in  the  way  that  you  have  stated, 


'V, 


wm 


80 


did  you  then  statft  to  these  people  that  your  title  in  India  was  "The 
Sage  of  Aru?"  A.  No,  sir.  I  will  explain.  There  is  in  one  branch 
of  Oriental  masonry  many  degrees,  nnd  the  head  of  each  degree  has 
a  certain  name  given  to  him,  and  there  is  a  degree  in  which  the  Sage 
of  Aru  is  the  master  of  that  Chapter. 

Q.  You  occupy  that  position?    A.  I  did. 

Q.  You  were  entitled  to  be  called  "Tlie  Sage  of  Aru?"    A.  I  was. 

Q.  And  you  told  your  friends  there?  A.  No,  sir.  The  party  who 
is  Ijrinjring  this  material  wrote  from  St.  Louis  to  me,  through  a 
friend.  I  never  had  Keen  them  nor  did  not  know  anything  of  them 
at  all.  The  letter  cauu%  and  in  answering  that  letter  I  simply  signed 
it  ''The  Sage  of  Aru,"  which  was  right  and  proper. 

Q.  Did  you  make  appear  that  you  had  been  iustruct(MJ  by  the 
Council  in  India  to  come  to  the  United  States  and  establish  a  col- 
lege there?  A.  I  do  not  think  that  has  anything  to  do  with  it. 
That  is  a  matter  of  my  |)rivate  life;  I  did  not  make  any  representa- 
rions  of  that  kind. 

Q.  A  college  where  the  philosophy  and  otliei-  learning  of  the  order 
might  be  taught?  A.  The  numagement  of  that  institution  is  not 
inine  to  convey  to  anybody;  the  philosophy  is  not  mine  to  impart 
to  anybody,  excej)t  as  I  got  it.  I  simply  say  that  for  the  purpose 
of  gaining  money,  or  for  the  purpose  of  acquiring  inlluence,  I  never 
made  a  representation  of  that  kind. 

Q.  Were  you  instructed  by  your  (Jouncil  in  India  to  come  to  the 
United  States  and  open  a  college  where  the  philosophy  and  learning 
might  be  taught?  A.  As  far  as  my  memory  serves  me,  notiiing 
of  that  kind  came  up.  I  do  not  remember  having  heard  anything 
of  that. 

Q.  While  yon  were  tiiere  in  St.  Louis  and  in  the  United  States 
with  your  colleagues  of  this  philosophy,  did  you  lead  them  to  be- 
lieve, or  was  it  a  matter  that  you  conveyed  to  any  one  that  you  were 
to  be  tlie  next  spirit  incarnate  or  tlie  leader  of  the  new  dispensation? 
A.  I  never  did  that. 

Q.  You  deny  that  absolutely?  A.  Ortainly.  I  believe  just  ex- 
actly this,  that  every  man  who  has  the  breath  of  life  in  him  and  the 
spirit  of  (J«m1.  can  become  associated  as  Jesus  tells  his  people  to  be, 
and  we  do  not  claim  any  new  philosophy  but  that. 

Q.  .\.s  I  understand  you,  went  to  Fairfax  in  June  or  July,  1891; 
wh(-re  did  you  go  to  fronj  Fairfax?    A.  Montreal. 

Q.  fn  Montreal  you  had  been  for  some  years  carrying  on  the  busi- 
ness of  manufacturing  medicines?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  What  did  you  go  to  Fairfax  for?  A.  On  a  written  invitation 
of  Mr.  Joseph  Specht,  with  a  view  to  purchasing  property  for  the 
institution. 

Q.  You  went  there  and  met  him?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Then  you  made  not  only  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Specht,  but 
his  family?  A.  I  met  his  family  in  St.  Louis  In  the  month  of  May, 
1S9L 


SI 

Q.   ll;ul  von  iiimc  Icick  to  .M<inlr('iil  in  (1m'  inoantinic?    A.   ^'cs. 

ii  Alter  voii  hail  hccu  in  St.  Louis?  A.  I  wcnl  to  .K'llVrson  City 
and  we  returned  tf>  St.  Louis  at  llio  request  of  the  Si»e(;ht's,  and 
wejil  to  their  Inuise  as  liu'ir  ^uest.  'I'iieii  al'ier  we  .<;'>t  liirou^ih  with 
tlu'  business  in  St.  L(uiis,  I  iciurned  to  my  , oine  in  Montreal  to  j;o 
on  in  my  business,  not  Uiiowin;;-  whether  anythinj;  was  ^'oin^  to  eonie 
of  this  nuiiter.  iind  the  iicvi  iliinn;  \v;)s  a  letlei-  from  the  S]»ceht'8 
to  meet  then)  in  \'ir^inia  to  look  after  this  property  that  they  were 
talkin^^  of  buyin<;'  at  (lunsion. 

ii.   Ytm  w<'re  a  j,'uest  at  their  house?     A.   Ves,  sir. 

Q.  \\  hen  you  went  bac'k  in  July  or  Au{;u.st?    June  or  July. 

DOWN  IN  Old)  VriKUNNY. 

Q.  Wlien  you  went  back  to  St.  Louis,  you  were  their  jjuest  at 
Ounston?     A.  They  had  just  bought  the  pr()i)erty. 

(i.  You  were  there?     A.  I  think  a  day. 

Q.  Was  the  family  there?  A.  \o.  only  Mr.  Speeht  and  hi8  wife. 
On.?  of  tiie  sons  was  liviu};-  with  me  in  Montreal  at  the  time. 

Q.   NN'hirh  was?     A.  Joseph  Speeht. 

<i.   Ls  his  name  .Joseph.     A.  Joseph  A. 

(^    \Nas  he  with  you  at   Fairfax?     A.  Not  till  afterwards. 

Q.  In  June  or  July  you  went  down  there  to  Fairfax  and  you  met 
Mr.  md  Mrs.  SjH'cht?     A.  Yes. 

Q  Wh;i(  'V"l  you  do?  A.  We  looked  over  tlio  situation  and  saw 
about  the  land,  etc.,  that  they  were  purchasiujj:,  and  1  think  there 
wa.s  nothin<4  done  and  I  came  home.  The  arrangements  to  pur- 
chase the  property  were  made  tlien  or  later;  1  think  later. 

Q.  When  did  yo!i  fjo  back  to  Fairfax?  A.  I  think  the  hitter  part 
of  Auj^usl   I   vveiit  down. 

Q  From  that  out  where  did  you  reside?  A.  1  went  down  to 
Virginia  and  went  over  to  meet  Mr.  Joseph  Speeht. 

Q.  You  went  back  in  August?    A.  I  think  so. 

Q.  And  from  that  lime  out,  until  you  left  again,  where  did  you 
reside?  A.  I  re."ided  at  (lunston.  I  think  it  was  about  the  first  of 
September  I  went  down. 

Q.  Did  you  remain  there  or  reside  there  until  you  left  again  in 
1KJ)4?  A.  Yes,  we  resided  there.  The  family  moved  down  late 
in  the  autumn  that  we  got  our  buildings  in  shape  that  we  erected 
in  (junston. 

Q.  What  is  Ounston — a  village?  A.  It  is  an  estate. that  was 
owned  by  the  Masons,  It  was  nam(»d  by  a  Mason  who  was  the 
owner  of  it.    I  think  they  came  from  (Junston,  England. 

Q.  You  erected  soine  buildings  there?  A.  Yes,  sir;  on  the  estate 
that  had  been  divided  up.  It  had  been  sold  in  parcels  and  I  made 
arrangenu'nts  to  buy  one  of  them. 

Q.  And  upon  that  parcel  you  built  the  buildings  you  speak  of? 
A.  Yes. 


HI 

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8 


J' 'I 


f^ 


82 


^ 

^ 


(>.  What  becaino  of  Guuston  Hall?  A.  That  was  bought  b^'  the 
Speehts. 

Q.  And  oci'ui»ied  as  a  rosidence?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  Did  Mr.  Joseph  ISpecht  leave  St.  Louis  at  that  time?  A.  Lie 
used  to  be  carryiu;;-  on  business  in  St.  Louis  and  in  the  fall  of  181)1 
his  property  burnt  out  in  St.  Louis,  and  then  he  went  out  of  busi- 
ness and  moved  to  \'irj;iuia  some  time  in  the  followinj,^  .year — 181)2. 

il.  ilut  in  the  meantime,  before  he  j^ave  up  business,  his  wife 
and  children  were  living;  ;il  (Junslon  liall?  A.  They  were  livinj;  iit 
St.  Louis.  The.v  lived  at  (Junston  Uall  pernmneutly  in  the  summer 
of  181)11.    I  remember  they  brought  their  filrniture  down  on  the  boat. 

Q.  In  181)4  it  was  a  family  residence?     A.  Yea. 

(i.  Did  Jos(  ph  Specht  from  that  time  out  live  at  Gunston  Dall? 
A.  Most  of  the  time.  Some  time  he  would  have  to  go  away  on 
business. 

Q.  What  did  his  family  consist  of?  A.  There  was  himself  and 
his  wife,  and  tiieir  family  consists  of  two  sons  and  two  daughters. 
One  of  the  dau«;hters  and  the  two  sons  were  then  unmarried,  and 
part  of  the  time  they  were  there  and  part  of  the  tinu'  they  were 
not  there.  Their  relationship  with  their  father  had  been  strained 
for  a  number  of  years.  Josejih  and  his  father  used  to  (luurrel.  lie 
came  to  Montreal  to  avoid  the  wratli  of  his  father  and  they  got  him 
out  of  tlu>  house  and  got  him  a  ticket  and  sent  him  to  Montreal. 

Q.  The  family  consisted  of  two  sons  and  two  daughters?  A.  Yes; 
bu.  they  were  not  all  living  there. 

Q.  There  was  one  daughter  nmrried?  A.  Yes,  and  lived  in  St. 
Louis. 

Q.  And  the  other  daughter?  A.  Is  still  with  her  father.  She 
is  about  fourteen. 

Q.  There  was  another  son,  did  you  know  him?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  What  was  his  name?     A.  Edward. 

Q.  What  did  you  do  in  Virginia  or  Fairfax  during  the  time  yoa 
lived  there?  A.  I  was  doing  anything  that  came  to  hand.  1  car- 
ried on  tlie  place  and  tried  to  build  it  up,  and  1  practiced  my  profes- 
sion in  Washington  city. 

Q.  Ilow  far  is  this  place  from  Washington?  A.  About  eighteen 
miles. 

Q.  You  were  a  good  deal  in  Washington  and  sometimes  in  Gun- 
ston IXall?  A.  Yes.  I  went  to  Washington  two  or  three  times  a 
week,  and  we  had  a  snuiU  piece  of  ground  that  we  cultivated,  and 
we  got  a  larger  piece  on  lease  and  we  were  carrying  that  on. 

Q.  You  were  li.'ing  close  to  Gunston  Hall  and  you  were  intimate 
with  the  family  of  Sj)echts?  A.  Yea;  neighborly:  Under  the  con- 
ditions we  were  perhaps  more  intimate  as  we  were  the  only  asso- 
ciates living  there. 

Q.  Going  back  to  the  question  of  your  religions  teaching — were 
the  Spechta  followers  of  your  views— did  they  belong  to  the  order? 


A. 


83 


m 


wife 


'*'■  ijt 


[all? 

OD 


St. 


MRS.  SPECHT  A  MEMBER. 

A.  Mrs.  Spocht  wuh  a  moinlicr,  the  husband  was  not. 

Q.  Was  slii'  a  dcvolctl  nicnihcr  of  tin*  tlioory  and  tearliinp?  A.  I 
would  not  sa.v  that  she  was  devoted.  She  was  not  as  devoted  at 
that  time  as  she  was  when  her  trouble  came  between  her  and  her 
husband. 

Q.  Did  .you  teaeh  her  the  jthilosoph.v?  A.  Yes,  the  same  as  I 
would  to  anybody  else. 

Q.  Von  did  exjtlain  and  teach  the  ^thilosophy  of  your  order  to 
her?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  AVas  she  a  person  who  was  receptive  of  that  kind  of  teaching? 
A.  Not  more  so  than  others. 

Q.  Was  she  enthusiastic  and  took  an  Interest?    A.  Certainly. 

Q.  In  the  doctrines  which  you  and  she  believed  in?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  ^^'hal  did  tic  husband  say  about  this?  A.  lie  was  as  much  in- 
terested as  anybody,  ajtparently. 

Q.  lie  did  not,  as  you  say,  become  a  member  of  the  order?  A. 
No,  sir.     It  recjuires  a  dillerent  kind  of  life  than  what  the  man  lived. 

Q.  Then  in  connection  with  that  does  the  member  require  to  take 
any  oaths  or  pled^ics  or  nnike  declarations?  A.  No.  nothing  more 
than  to  take  the  pledge  as  in  any  other  matter.  A  word  of  honor 
would  be  sufficient. 

Q.  There  are  no  oaths?  A.  No.  There  are  forms  of  ceremonies  of 
initiation.  It  is  no  more  complicated  than  it  would  be  in  an  ordi- 
nary temperan«'e  society,  simply  a  stat(»ment  of  what  your  faith  is. 

Q.  In  joininf;  the  order,  Mrs.  Specht,  I  suppose,  made  her  state- 
ments, or  the  statements  were  made  to  her  to  which  she  agreed  to 
abide  by?     A.  There  is  no  pledge  of  that  kind. 

Q.  What  ia  there?  A.  She  did  not  have  any  relationship  in 
connection  with  this  order  business.  She  had  no  position  that  was 
diff'erent  from  anybody  else.  There  was  a  meeting  held  in  their 
house  in  St.  Louis.  I  was  present  at  that  meeting.  There  was  a 
communion  at  which  we  who  were  desirous  of  living  the  life  that 
we  thoup'ht  was  advisable.  There  was  no  special  arrangement  for 
her  or  anybo^ly  els(\ 

Q.  She  was  one  of  tliem?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  This  was  prior  to  their  going  to  Ounaton  Hall  to  live.  A. 
Yes. 

Q.  It  was  at  her  house  that  the  meeting  took  place?  A.  Yes. 
They  invited  others  to  come  and  be  present. 

Q.  Were  they  all  women?  A.  They  were  all  women  that  were 
present  at  that  time. 

Q.  There  were  men  who  belongcnl  to  it?  A.  Yes.  There  were 
not  so  many  women  as  men,  but  the  men  had  nothing  to  do  with 
that  part  of  the  businesA. 

Q,  Was  that  the  time  at  which  yon  would  say  she  became  con- 
verted to  the  teachings  of  the  order?  A.  There  was  no  change;  no 
conversion.     She  simply  agreed  with  the  others  to  live  a  life  of 


U': 


I 


M 


I 


I 


i: 


absolute  purity  and  truth;  to  follow  the  precepts  of  truth  and  right- 
eousness in  Jill  wa.ys,  and  that  is  all  the  pledge  tiiere  is  about  it. 

(2.  What  was  the  elleit  on  Mrs.  Speeht  so  far  as  your  observa- 
tions went.  Did  she  follow  out  the  doctrines?  A.  Yes,  as  all 
people  do  in  (Jhrisiianil y  or  any  other  teachings.  They  sometimes 
feel  very  enthusiast ii-  and  sonw'times  they  doubt. 

ii.  What  was  Mrs.  Specht's  position  about  that.  Was  she 
devoiedV  A.  Yes,  fairly  so.  Sh»'  made  an  I'Ifort  to  live  the  life 
and  she  lived  it  more  au^!  more;  she  became  more  and  more  devoted 
to  it. 

Q.  From  that  time  out,  in  the  autumn  of  1891,  or  beginning  of 
1S1)2,  when  they  came  to  (iunston  Mall  to  live,  in  regard  to  the 
teachings  of  your  order;  you  followed  that  uj),  too?  A.  Yes.  There 
was  no  church  near  by,  and  each  Sunday  we  would  have  a  little 
meeting  among  ourselves.     Yes;  there  was  no  church  near  by. 

Q.  At  Gunston?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  Who  furnished  the  money  to  build  those  buildings  and  do  that 
work?    A.  Mrs.  Joseph  Speeht. 

Q.  How  much  did  she  furnish?    A.  Five  thousand  dollars. 

Q.  Anything  else?  A.  There  were  times  when  she  gave  us  dif- 
ferent things. 

Q.  What  were  some  of  the  things  she  gave?  A.  For  instance, 
around  their  place  they  had  a  great  deal  of  fruit  and  difiPerent 
things  that  we  did  not  have,  and  that  was  sent  down  when  she  felt 
like  sending  it. 

Q.  Did  she  hand  over  any  jewels?  A.  She  had  some  jewels  that 
she  had  been  trying  for  a  number  of  years  to  dispose  of. 

Q.  Earrings?     A.  A  brooch  and  two  earrings. 

Q.  What  did  she  do  with  them?  A.  She  had  given  them  to  dif- 
ferent parties  to  sell  and  she  could  not  dispose  of  them. 

Q.  Did  she  give  them  to  you.  A.  She  gave  them  to  me  to  Bell 
for  the  work. 

Q.  Did  you  sell  them?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  How  much  did  you  get  for  them.  A.  Between  four  and  Ave 
hundred  dollars. 

Q.  Was  that  all  the  money  yon  got  in  connection  with  this  work 
from  her? 


Onh 


t  I 


i'll 


THE  PLAINl  IFPS  POSITION  IN  THE  MYS= 

TERIOUS  ORDER. 


Only   One   of    the   Viasya    Caste    Could    Relieve    Him   of   His 

Financial  Work. 


HOWARD'S  VICTIMS.    PLACED   IN   THE  BOX  AS  WITNESSES, 
DID  NOT  KNOW  THERE  WAS  AN  ORDER. 


Perth,  Ain-il  28. — A  feature  of  the  evidence  m  the  big  libel  suit 
was  the  amount  of  ignoranee  displayed  by  lloward's  friends  in  his 
mysterious  order.  Some  interesting  revelations  regarding  the  nevr 
Philosophy  of  the  Priest  Kings  of  India  were  expected  when  Mra. 
Kpecht,  Mrs.  Allen  and  Mrs.  Morrey  were  placed  in  the  box,  but 
these  witnesses  evinced  the  greatest  care  to  prevent  any  informa- 
tion regarding  the  order  to  be  revealed.  They  identilied  some 
exhibits,  however,  while  abundantly  demonstrated  the  species  of 
mummery  Howard  indulged  in. 

The  reading  of  the  evidence  of  Howard,  the  plaintiff,  taken  in 
the  examination  for  discovery,  continu«'d  as  follows: 

HOVVAUD'S  REdTTLAK  STIPEND. 

A.  No.  There  was  a  regular  stipend  of  |25  a  month  that  waa 
given. 

Q.  That  she  gave?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  What  was  done  with  the  f5,fl0()?  A.  The  15,000  was  expended 
in  the  founding  of  the  work  as  far  as  that  v/ent,  and  in  keeping  the 
things  together  and  living  until  we  left  Virginia. 

Q.  You  got  the  $5,000,  and  you  expended  it?     A.  Yes,  certainly. 

Q.  You  expended  it  in  living  and  gettings  things  for  your  home 
there?     A.  Yes.     There  were  others  living  with  us. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  others?     A.  The  members  of  the  order. 

Q.  Many  of  them?  A.  Sometimes  there  would  be  two  or  three, 
mostly  always  somebody  there. 

Q.  And  the  money  was  devoted  in  part  to  their  keep?  A.  Yea. 
and  for  getting  property  around  that  would  be  useful  in  the  future 
for  the  institution. 

Q.  How  long  was  it  after  your  acquaintance  with  Mrs.  Specht 
that  this  15.000  was  paid?  A.  We  became  acquainted  In  May,  I 
think,  and  T  returned  to  Montreal  and  the  matter  was  written  abunt 

M 


^ 


I) 


I 


I 


T»r 


4 


and  talked  about,  and  then  they  sent  for  me  to  come  down  to  Vir- 
ginia to  see  them  on  the  matter,  and  all  this  time,  of  course,  it  was 
supposed  that  her  $11,000  and  other  money  would  come  in,  and 
things  were  talked  of  in  that  way. 

Q,  About  what  time  was  it  then  that  the  money  was  actually 
handed  over?  A.  In  August  I  think  there  wa«  $1,000,  and  in  Sep- 
tember I  think  the  balance  was  given. 

Q.  Was  it  sent  to  Montreal?    A.  No. 

Q.  It  was  paid  over  when  you  got  there?  A.  It  was  given  me 
in  drafts  on  St.  Louis. 

Q.  After  you  got  there?  A.  Yes,  but  the  agreement  to  give  it 
was  made  when  I  was  in  Montreal. 

Q.  Was  it  a  condition  precedent  to  your  going  there  that  you  were 
to  get  this?  A.  Certainly,  There  was  no  other  inducement  to  take 
uie  there.  I  broke  up  my  home  and  went  down  there,  knowing  I 
would  have  to  depend  on  my  exertions  to  make  a  living.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Specht  carried  it  on 

Q.  The  letters  were  in  correspondence  with  whom?  A.  With  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Joseph  Specht. 

Q.  llow  long  did  you  live  in  Virginia  after  that?  A.  From  1891 
to  1894. 

Q.  And  you  left  in  May,  181)4?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  About  what  date?     A.  On  the  11th  of  May,  1894. 

Q.  Where?  did  you  go?  A.  Mr.  Specht,  Mrs.  Specht,  Mrs.  Howard 
and  myself  went  to  Washington  city  on  the  11th  of  May. 

Q.  Where  did  you  go  from  there?    A.  To  New  York. 

Q.  And  then?    A.  To  New  Jersey. 

Q.  And  then?    A.  To  Montreal. 

Q.  When  did  you  arrive  in  Montreal? 
of  Mav, 

Q.  Were  you  alone?     A.  I  was  alone, 
ington. 

Q.  When  did  you  leave  Washington? 
12th  of  May — Saturday  nigh  I. 

Q.  When  did  you  arrive  in  New  York? 

Q.  When  did  you  leave  New  York?     A. 
ward  from  New  York  to  Jersey  until  tho  22nd  or  2I?rd— the  after 
noon  on  the  2.'ird  I  left. 

Q.  At  the  time  you  left  Fairfax  and  Washington  what  were  your 
relations  with  the  Specht  family?     A.  The  same  as  before. 

Q.  When  you  left  Washington?  A.  The  only  trouble  I  knew  of 
was  with  Specht.  The  ])osition  was  this:  Mrs.  Specht  owned  Gun- 
stnn  TTall,  and  Joseph  Specht  wanted  to  get  possession  of  it,  and 
wanted  to  got  the  title  of  it  witliout  giving  her  any  consideration, 
find  she  would  not  do  it  as  she  wanted  an  income  from  it  on  which 
<o  live,  nnd  he  would  not  give  it.  so  she  would  not  give  up  the  tille. 
Fie  issued  a  writ  of  lunacy  and  then  subpoenaed  me  as  a  witness,  and 
her  lawyer  rame  to  me  and  told  me  that  the  best  thing  for  her,  so 
as  to  give  them  time  to  delay  the  hearing,  was  to  ge»t  out  of  the 


A.  The  night  of  the  24th 

My  wife  was  in  Wash- 

A.  On   the  nighl    of  the 

A.  The  next  morning. 
I  was  backward  and  for- 


juiisdictioL  ol  the  court,  so  that  tbey  could  not  serve  me  with 
the  subpoeuu,  and  at  liis  rtMjuest  1  did  so. 

Q.  What  did  you  go  to  Washington  for?  A.  They  were  iu  the 
habit  of  going  up  and  down  tlie  same  as  we  were. 

Q.  You  were  just  going  up  and  you  met  accidentally?  A.  We 
had  to  go  on  the  same  boat. 

Q.  There  was  no  preconcerted  arrangement  about  going  up?  A, 
Not  that  I  know  of.  Probably  we  had  spoken  of  it,  but  each  of  ua 
had  his  own  business  to  attend  to. 

Q.  These  discussions  and  this  trouble  took  place  in  Washington, 
and  what  side  did  you  take?    A.  I  had  nothing  to  do  with  it. 

Q.  How  did  you  know  all  about  it — that  one  wanted  the  title, 
etc.?     A,  Thai  is  subsetjuent  knowledge. 

Q.  You  did  not  know  at  llu-  tinie?     A.  ^'o,  sir. 

Q.  You  all  discussed  (his  together?  A.  No,  sir.  He  locked  his 
wife  in  a  room  in  the  hotel  while  he  sent  out  to  get  the  papers  made 
out  to  get  himself  made  trustee.  J  did  not  know  anything  about  it 
at  that  time.  The  girl  at  the  hotel  went  to  in^iuire  why  she  did  not 
come  down,  and  she  said  ."^lie  was  lorked  iu,  and  the  girl  opened  the 
door  and  she  came  out  and  went  to  my  wife-  room  and  told  me  the 
circumstances  and  I  got  a  lawyer  to  take  care  of  her  interests,  and 
when  Mr.  Specht  came  down  with  his  papers  to  take  her  in  charge 
as  a  lunatic,  she  was  not  there— her  lawyer  had  taken  her  away. 

Q.  You  left,  too,  the  same  day?     A.  Yes,  the  same  night. 

Q.  You  left  your  wife  in  Washington?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  What  did  Specht  say?  A.  I  do  not  know,  sir;  I  did  not  see 
him. 

Q.  Did  lie  not  .say  anything  about  issuing  a  warrant  against  you? 
A.  Never  heard  of  it. 


WIJV  in:  WENT  TO  montukal. 


(2.  You  did  not  know  he  had  issued  a  warrant?  A.  No,  sir;  I  do 
not  know  yet  that  he  has. 

Q.  That  was  on  the  night  of  the  12th  of  May?  A.  Yes.  We 
came  to  Washington  on  the  11th  and  on  the  12th  I  left.  The  13th 
I  was  in  New  York  and  remained  until  the  23rd. 

(^  You  left  for  the  simple  purpose  of  being  away  so  that  you 
could  not  be  called  as  a  witness?  A.  Yes.  The  lawyer  told  me  it 
would  be  necesary  for  me  to  do  that. 

Q.  And  you  remained  away  ever  since?  A.  Yes.  I  had  noth- 
ing to  go  back  for.  There  was  nothing  there  for  me  to  do,  and 
I  went  right  back  to  Montreal  and  went  into  business. 

Q.  You  went  into  business  in  Canada?  A.  Yes,  sir.  I  had 
broken  that  business  tip  to  go  there  at  their  request,  and  I  came 
back  here  and  took  tip  my  lines  where  I  laid  them  down. 

Q.  You  did  not  know  anything  about  the  warrant  being  issued? 
A.  I  did  not  know  and  do  not  know  yet. 

Q.  You  were  informed  after  you  got  to  Montreal  that  there  was 


w 


>s 


■¥> 


u  warruiU  ibsued.  A.  1  do  not  thiuk  ho.  1  did  not  have  auy  knowl- 
edge ol  it. 

(I.  1  iliink  ^011  Kaid  no  iu  an  interview  to  a  newHpaper  man?  A. 
I  said  1  Avatj  tlicre  if  iie  liad  an.vtliing  to  do;  be  tlireatened  me. 

Q.   Who?     A.  Siurlil. 

(l  \\  lull  did  lie  do  tlial?  A.  lie  kept  on  doing  it  lor  a  long 
time, 

Q.  N\  htii  did  lie  iMumiience  to  do  that?    A.  After  1  got  to  Canada, 

il.  \  oil  did  not  know  anylhni;;  about  i(  liefore  that?     A.  No. 

Q.  You  did  not  know  there  waH  a  warrant  issued  against  you  on 
the  lotii?     A.  No,  1  did  not. 

(J.  Vou  did  not  know  (lieiv  was  another  issued  on  the  llth?  A. 
No;  do  not  know  it  yet. 

(2.  Did  .voii  know  lliat  I  lie  (Jovernor  of  Virginia  sent  up  word  to 
the  Governor  of  New  York  to  look  after  you?  A.  Never  heard  of  it 
until  this  niinut(\ 

Q.  You  did  not  know  that  on  the  l.'Uli  there  was  a  warrant  in  the 
hands  of  the  constable  to  arrest  you?     A.  No,  certainly  not. 

Q,  Did  you  know  it  was  going  to  happen?     A.  No. 

Q.  Mr.  Specht  did  not  tell  you  anything  about  that.  A.  No.  I 
never  saw  Mr.  Specht  after  he  had  the  row  with  bis  wife. 

Q.  You  did  not  know  anything  with  reference  to  what  took  place 
between  the  authorities  of  the  two  countries  with  reference  to  yonT 
A.  No,  and  I  do  not  yet. 


thini 
(() 

reiiic 


HOWARD  HAD  AN    ALIAS. 


Q.  There  was  a  time  in  Montreal  when  you  were  known  as  Wil- 
son? A.  My  lawyer  in  Washington  said  to  nie:  "So  that  we  may 
communicate  with  each  other  and  have  no  trouble  you  bad  better 
take  the  name  of  Wilson. 

Q.  Who  was  your  lawyer?     A.  Sprague,  of  Washington. 

Q.  He  said  you  had  better  take  the  name  of  Wilson?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  And  you  went  under  the  name  of  Wilson  how  long?  A.  Not 
very  long,  because  half  the  people  of  Montreal  knew  me.  I  cannot 
tell  how  long. 

Q.  During  the  time  you  were  in  the  United  States  after  the  12th, 
jou  went  by  the  name  of  Wilson  until  you  reached  Montreal?  A. 
No,  but  my  letters  were  directed  to  Wilson. 

Q.  Then  when  you  got  to  Montreal,  of  course,  it  wasn't  necessary 
to  have  an  assumed  name?     A.  Only  to  get  my  mail. 

Q.  And  that  dropped  out  after  a  time?     A.  Certainly. 

Q.  You  remained  in  Montreal  a  short  time  after  yon  got  there? 
A.  Yes,  a  couple  of  months. 

Q.  Yon  were  working?  A.  1  did  not  do  anything  in  business 
that  time. 

Q.  Were  you  not  in  communication  with  the  people  in  Washing- 
ton, your  lawyer,  and  others,  up  to  that  time?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  To  see  how  things  were  jSfoing?     A.  Yes. 


89 


A. 


the 


A.  No. 
A,  1  do  not 

A.  1  do  not 


Q.  You  were  iufonncd  Huii  ;i  wariaiil  wjis  issued? 
Q.  You  Wi'ic  inl'oiiik'd  Uy  yowi  law.vor«  lliert*  was? 
think  so. 

(Objected  to.) 

il  \o\i  did  not  know  aiivlhiii^'  ahout  it  that  time? 
reincuiber. 

tj.  Ill  the  mauv  (•ouniMiiiicalioiis  you  had  both  by  letter  and  tele- 
KHun  with  your  hiwyer,  you  luiisl  have  heard  somethinj;  about  the 
warrant?     A.  1  reeeived  a  foi';;ed  leltj,nain. 

(2.  Was  it  a  fact  that  you  did  not  know  anytliinj,'  about  a  warrant 
when  you  were  in  Montreal  for  these  two  months?  A.  I  do  not 
know  that  that  ever  came  to  my  knowledge  in  any  way.  1  know 
there  has  been  talk  about  it. 

Q.  When  you  were  in  Ahuitreal  you  knew  about  the  article  you 
romplain  of  now?     A.   I  did  not  see  that. 

Q.  Why  didn't  you  bring  your  action  sooner?  A.  I  did  not  know 
the  article  was  there  to  be  complained  of. 


WHY  THIS  DKLAY. 


Q.  Why  did  you  delay  the  action  so  long;  it  is  three  and  a  half 
years  before  you  commenced  your  action?  A.  I  did  not  see  the 
article  until  this  year.  iu)t  to  my  knowledge. 

Q.  How  did  you  happen  to  see  it  so  long  after?  A.  In  clearing 
out  a  room  where  there  was  a  number  of  papers  that  Star  wa« 
found.     There  was  a  number  of  papers  there. 

Q.  And  you  saw  the  article?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  Did  you  feel  that  you  were  suffering  under  it  at  that  time? 
A.  A  man  would  naturally  suffer  anyway. 

Q.  You  felt  that  you  were  suffering  after  three  and  a  half  years 
from  an  article  written  in  June,  1894?  A.  I  know  of  that  in  a 
way,  because  shortly  after  that,  I  think  it  was,  one  of  our  young 
people  said  that  somebody  had  brought  a  Star  to  their  house 
wrapped  around  a  parcel,  and  they  wanted  to  know  if  that  was  the 
tame  man, 

Q.  When  you  left  Washington  on  the  night  of  the  12th  of  May, 
18fl4,  you  left  Mrs.  Specht  and  your  wife  there?  A.  No,  they  were 
both  away  at  the  lawyer's  house. 

Q.  And  you  went  off  without  seeing  them?  A.  No,  I  paw  them 
the  last  thing. 

Q.  Did  you  leave  them  at  the  lawyer's?  A.  Yes,  I  left  my  wife 
there.  They  were  on  visiting  terms,  and  we  were  up  there  taking 
tea  when  he  told  me  the  subpoena  was  out. 

Q.  What  did  Mrs.  Specht  do?  A.  The  ca^e  was  brought  up  in 
court  and  eventually  thrown  out,  and  she  went  back  to  Gunston 
Hall.     I  am  speaking  from  hearsay. 

Q.  Do  you  know  where  she  lives  now?    A.  At  Carleton  Place. 


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Q.  How  long?    A.  For  over  a  year. 

Q.  Living  at  Carleton  Place?    A.  She  boards  at  the  hotel  and 
has  rooms  at  our  place. 

Q.  How  long  has  she  been  there  with  you?    A.  Since  June  or  July 
a  year  ago. 
Q.  It  will  be  two  years  in  June  since  she  came  there?    A.  Yes. 
Q.  How  does  she  get  the  means  to  live?    A.  By  the  lawsuit  she 
got  a  consideration  of  |1,8U0  a  year  for  life,  secured  by  bonds  ov  by 
stocks  in  exchange  for  Guuston  Hall,  for  her  title  to  Gunston  Hall. 
Q.  From  whom?     A.  From  her  husband. 

Q.  And  she  went  to  live  in  Carleton  Place?  A.  She  went  Lo  dif- 
ferent places,  and  she  found  she  had  no  place  to  live,  and  she  tele- 
graphed to  my  wife  if  she  could  come  and  live  with  her,  and  she 
came,  and  there  she  remains. 

Q.  Did  you  know  anything  about  the  further  proceedings  that 
were  taken  after  you  left  Washington  against  you?  A.  I  know  ot 
no  proceedings  against  me. 

Q.  Did  you  know  that  indictments  had  been  laid  against  you  in 
Fairfax  county?    A.  The  grand  jury  had  found  an  indictment. 

Q.  True  bills  against  you  on  indictments?  A.  I  do  not  know. 
I  have  nothing  but  a  telegram  that  an  indictment  had  been  found. 

Q,.  You  did  not  know  that  until  you  were  telegraphed?  A.  Noj 
certainly  not.     It  did  not  occur  until  the  5th  of  August. 

Q.  There  seems  to  have  been  some  bad  feeling  existing  between 
you  and  Joseph  Specht?    A.  Nothing  more  than  the  fact  that  I  had 
baffled  him  in  putting  his  wife  in  the  asylum. 
Q.  That  was  all?    A.  As  far  as  I  know. 

Q.  There  was  no  feeling  of  that  kind  prior  to  that?  A.  No,  sir. 
Q.  Did  you  know  anything  about  his  efforts  to  get  Gunston  Hall 
prior  to  your  coming  to  Washington  on  the  11th  of  May,  1894? 
A.  I  do  not  think  I  did,  I  do  not  think  it  came  up  in  that  way. 
The  only  thing  I  know  of  before  that  that  would  bear  upon  the  sub- 
ject was  ne  and  I  were  fishing  one  day  and  he  »aid  to  me  that  his 
wife  was  very  erratic,  she  wanted  to  get  an  income  or  something 
of  that  kind,  and  he  didn't  know  what  to  do. 

Q.  How  long  was  that  before  you  went  to  Washington?  A.  I 
think  it  was  in  the  autumn  previous;  I  do  not  know. 

Q.  Was  that  talked  over  between  you  and  Mrs.  Specht  at  all  after 
that;  did  she  come  to  you  with  her  trouble?  A.  No;  I  do  not  think 
so,  not  to  me;  she  may  have  talked  to  my  wife. 

Q.  W^hen  you  left  Washington  had  you  any  communication  with 
Joseph  Specht?    A.  No;  I  had  not  seen  him  from  the  morning 
after  he  had  a  row  with  his  wife  I  did  not  see  anything  of  him. 
Q.  Had  you  a  house  and  furniture  at  Gunston?    A.  Yes. 
Q.  That  you  left?    A.  Yes. 
Q.  Just  as  it  was?    A.  I  expected  to  be  back  in  a  few  days. 


Q. 
Q.  1 

Q. 

I  did 
Q. 


men  if"- 

Q. 
witho 

Q. 

not  gc 
how  1 
there 
fire,  a 
Q. 

Q. 

Wash: 

Q. 

No. 

Q. 


1 


91 
WHY  HE  DIDN'T  GO  BACK. 

Q.  Why  didn't  you  go  back?    A.  They  took  everything. 

Q.  How  did  you  know?    A.  Through  my  wife. 

Q.  You  did  not  stay  away  because  there  was  a  warrant?  A.  No; 
I  did  not  know  there  was  one. 

Q.  But  that  was  all  thrown  aside  in  a  very  short  time?  A.  In  a 
few  days. 

Q.  And  why  didn't  you  go  back  then?  A.  Because  everything 
had  been  wrecked  and  torn  to  pieces  through  the  agency  of  the 
Spechts.  My  lawyer  was  ieft  in  charge  of  it,  and  he  made  arrange- 
mentr'  to  take  care  of  it. 

Q.  They  got  a  very  bad  feeling  against  you  all  at  once?  A.  Yes; 
without  a  cause,  I  think. 

Q.  You  could  have  gone  back  in  two  or  three  days;  but  you  did 
not  go  back?  A.  It  went  through  the  whole  year.  I  do  not  know 
how  many  days  it  was,  but  I  came  on  to  New  York,  and  from 
there  I  went  to  Canada,  because,  as  I  tell  you,  things  were  hanging 
fire,  and  there  was  nothing  for  me  to  do  down  there. 

Q.  You  know  Alexandria,  Virginia?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  How  far  is  that  from  Fairfax?  A.  I  think  eight  miles  from 
Washington,  and  probably  twelve  miles  on  down  to  Gunston. 

Q.  You  did  not  know  that  a  warrant  was  issued  there  also?  A. 
No. 

Q.  One  at  Fairfax  and  one  at  Alexandria?    A.  No. 

I  hereby  certify  the  foregoing  to  be  a  true  copy  of  the  examina- 
tion of  Granby  S.  Howard,  the  plaintiff  herein,  taken  before  me  on 
the  21st  day  of  January,  1898,  pursuant  to  my  appointment  dated 
the  17th  day  of  January,  1898. 

(Signed)  W.  L.  SCOTT, 

Dated,  January  26th,  1898.  Master  at  Ottawa. 


^m 


i  ■ 


i 


HOWARD'S  FIRST  WITNESS. 


Mrs.   Allen   Called  by   the   PlaintiflF. 


HER    HUSBAND    NOT    IN    SYMPATHY    WITH    THE 

ORDER. 


Considered  Howard  Her  Teacher  and  Master  to  a  Certain 
Extent— Admitted  She  gave  Him  Hundreds  of  Dollars- 
Mrs.  Specht's  Testimony— Philosophical  Studies. 


Mr.  Osier  auuouuced  that  that  completed  the  case  for  the  defense, 
aud  the  iuterest  of  those  iu  court  was  roused  to  a  high  pitch  when 
Mr.  Latchford  called  Mrs.  Allen  as  the  first  witness  in  rebuttal,  and 
that  lady  left  her  place  alongside  of  the  plaintiff  to  take  her  place 
iu  the  witness  box. 

The  spectators  in  court  expected  that  the  first  witness  in  rebuttal 
would  be  the  plaintiff;  the  defense  sincerely  hoped  that  it  would 
be,  but  rather  doubted  it.  When  Mrs.  Allen  was  sworn  she  gave 
her  name  as  Mrs.  Mary  T.  Allen,  of  the  city  of  New  York,  in  the 
State  of  New  York,  in  the  [Inited  States  of  America, 

Examined  by  Mr.  Latchford,  for  the  plaintiff,  she  said  that  she 
had  first  met  Howard  and  the  Spechts  in  St.  Louis,  where  she  lived 
at  the  time  Howard  was  there.  She  did  not  remember  whether  any 
plans  for  the  future  Were  discussed  at  the  first  meeting  between 
herself  and  Mrs.  Specht  with  Howard.  She  thought  that  the  matter 
was  first  mentioned  a  few  days  after  this  first  meeting.  Mrs. 
Specht  and  witness  had  for  a  long  time  worked  for  various  cha'*- 
itable  and  educational  organizations  in  the  city  of  St.  Louis.  They 
had  been  accustomed  to  raise  money  for  various  organizations  and 
other  charitable  and  educational  objects.  Both  of  them  had  been 
deeply  interested  in  Dr.  Howard's  philosophy,  and  tried  their  beat 
to  promote  it.  They  had,  previous  to  meeting  Dr.  Howard,  taken 
much  interest  in  this  very  matter  of  Eastern  philosophy.  Mrs. 
Specht  held  a  very  splendid  position  socially  in  St.  Louis,  and  was 
thought  a  great  deal  of.  Witness  had  taken  part  in  various  con- 
versations between  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Specht  and  Dr.  Howard,  the  con- 
versations turning  on  the  question  of  the  advisability  of  establish- 
ing an  institution  for  the  study  and  development  of  the  Eastern 
philosophy.  The  matter  was  discussed  many  times,  and  nearly 
always  in  the  presence  of  Mr.  Specht.    While  talking  the  matter 


over  ai 

she  ha( 

erty  an 

deacon 

lishmei 

Witues 

there  u 

unders 

While 

and  Mr 

showed 

She 
it  was 
the  new 
that  H( 
to  Mr.  { 
inspecti 
it  was  ( 
at  Guns 
frequen 
Gunstoi 
building 
appeare 
express* 


Then 
reading 
The  witi 
and  ans 
ter  of  fi 
could  b( 

Q.  Y( 

the  Uni 

came  th 

ful  into: 

Q.  Y 

Q.  Tl 
considei 

Q.  So 
order  tc 

Q.  Y 
simple. 

•Q.  01 
gang," 
with  th 

Q.  Tl 
away  fi 


93 

over  and  discussing  ways  and  means,  Mrs.  Specht  explained  that 
she  had  realized  or  was  about  to  realize  on  some  of  her  own  prop- 
erty and  proposed  to  make  a  douation  of  !|1(),()()0  of  it,  one-half  to  a 
deaeon-sses'  home  at  St.  Louis,  llie  other  half  toward  the  cslab- 
lishment  of  the  institution  in  connretion  with  Dr.  Howard's  work. 
Witness  lived  in  St.  J.ouis  in  18!)1,  and  the  present  plaintiff  lived 
there  until  some  time  in  the  last  of  ^May  in  that  year.  Witness 
understood  that  Howard  luid  ^one  from  St.  Louis  to  Mont  real. 
While  Howard  was  away  witness  had  many  discussions  with  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Specht  about  Dr.  Howard  aud  his  work,  and  both  of  them 
.showed  a  general  desire  to  aid  in  the  work. 

She  knew,  she  testified,  all  about  the  Gunston  Hall  purchase,  for 
it  was  her  own  suggestion  that  the  property  should  be  secured  for 
the  new  home.  A  friend  of  hers  had  the  refusal  of  it.  She  thought 
that  Howard  had  been  present  when  she  had  made  the  suggestion 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Specht.  The  two  latter  went  East  with  a  view  to 
inspecting  the  property  to  see  if  it  was  suitable  for  the  home,  and 
it  was  eventually  purchased  in  the  summer  of  1891.  Witness  was 
at  Gunston  the  following  year.  She  staid  there  a  few  weeks  and 
frequently  saw  Howard,  who  was  living  on  a  little  property  close  to 
Gunston  Hall.  She  saw  him  at  work,  erecting  buildings,  several 
buildings.  He  was  constantly  engaged  in  such  work.  Mr.  Specht 
appeared  to  be  favorably  impressed  with  Howard  and  his  work.  He 
expressed  no  dissatisfaction,  at  any  rate. 

WHOLESALE   CONTRADICTIONS. 


Then  Mr.  Latchford  took  up  the  evidence  of  the  commission,  and 
reading  from  the  bulky  volume,  put  some  interesting  questions. 
The  witness  blushed  a  trifle,  put  on  a  superior  and  very  taking  smile 
and  answered  without  the  least  particle  of  hesitation.  As  a  mat- 
ter of  fact  the  answers  were  frequently  given  before  the  question 
could  be  put. 

Q.  You  heard  the  reading  of  the  evidence  taken  in  this  case  in 
the  United  States?  asked  the  learned  counsel.  A.  Yes;  promptly 
came  the  reply,  with  a  significant  smile,  and  a  well  calculated,  scorn- 
ful intonation  of  voice. 

Q.  You  heard  Mr.  Joseph  Specht's  evidence?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  That  you  were  one  of  Dr.  Howard's  victims?  A.  I  never 
considered  myself  a  victim. 

Q.  So  mdch  so  that  you  had  run  away  from  your  husband  in 
order  to  join  Howard?    A.  False. 

Q.  Your  husband  objected .    A.  It's  a  falsehood,  pure  and 

simple. 

IQ.  Objected  to  you  having  anything  to  do  with  "Howard  and  his 
gang,"  as  he  called  them?  A.  My  husband  was  not  in  sympathy 
with  the  order,  but  it  was  not  so  broadly  put  as  that. 

Q.  The  evidence  given  by  Mr.  Specht  continues:  "But  she  ran 
away  from  her  husband  and  came  to  where  Howard  lived,  down 


wr 


94 


M 


I 

!| 
1. 


near  Gunston,  and  said  to  him  that  she  had  left  her  husband,  that 
she  wanted  to  live  with  him "    A.  Another  lie. 

Q.  "Wanted  to  be  his  wife "    A.  Lie  aji;ain. 

Q.  "And  he  said  that  he  already  had  a  wife;  but  she  said, 

your  order  you  can  take  just  as  many  wives  as  you  want 

false. 


'Under 
A.  All 

A.  A 


Q.  "Afterwards  Allen  came  down  and  took  her  back?'' 
monstrous  lie. 

Q.  You  know  Mr.  8pecht?    A.  Yes  (with  a  scornful  look). 

To  further  questioning  witness  stated  that  she  visited  the  Speehts 
and  Howards  at  Gunston  again  in  1892  and  in  189o.  She  often  saw 
Dr.  Howard  at  work.  She  once  saw  him  ploughing.  He  was  en- 
gaged in  intellectual  work  constantly.  Mr.  Specht's  interest  in 
the  work  remained  up  to  1898.  and  when  witness  left  Gunston  was 
still  devising  ways  and  means  to  further  the  work. 

Then  Mr.  Osier  took  hold  of  the  witness  fc'  a  little  cross-exam- 
ination. 

Q.  You  are  an  enthusiastic  admirer  of  Dr.  Howard,  apparently? 
A.  I  don't  know. 

Q.  Well,  you  are  enthusiastic  about  his  work,  apparently?  A.  I 
hope  so. 

Q.  You  hope  so?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  He  is  your  Tiord  and  Master,  that  is  what  you  call  hitn,  isn't 
it?    A.  No. 

Q.  He  is  your  teacher?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  Your  leader?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  Your  master?    A.  To  a  certain  extent. 

Q.  Oh,  only  to  a  certain  extent?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  You  help  him  all  you  can?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  And  you  have  helped  him  all  you  can?    A.  Yes. 


HOW  MUCH  MONEY. 


Q.  How  much  money  have  you  given  him?    A.  Don't  know. 

Q.  Many  thousands?    A.  No. 

Q.  A  few  thousands?    A.  No. 

Q.  Hundreds?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  Well,  let  us  hear  how  many  hundreds?    A.  Don't  know. 

Q.  Well,  you  gave  all  you  could.    A.  Yes. 

Q.  Did  you  have  any  statement  as  to  how  the  money  was  spent? 
A.  No ;  I  never  asked  for  one. 

Q.  And  one  was  never  offered,  of  course?    A.  No. 

Q.  What  was  done  with  this  money?    A.  It  went  to  the  work. 

Q.  What  work?    A.  Dr.  Howard's  work. 

Q.  How  do  you  know?    A.  It  went  to  the  work  of  the  order. 

Q.  It  went  to  him.  You  gave  the  money  to  him,  now,  didn't  you? 
A.  Yes. 

Q.  And  that  is  all  you  know  about  it?    (No  response.) 


95 


Q.  You  got  no  receipt  or  acknowledgment  from  Howard  for  your 
money?    A.  I  never  asked  for  any. 

Q.  What  was  the  largest  sum  you  ever  gave  to  Howard?  A.  Don't 
know.  ^ 

Q.  Yon  gave  all  you  could  afford,  at  any  rate?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  Was  the  Specht's  a  happy  home  prior  to  1891?  A.  1  did  not 
know  them  very  well. 

Q.  Well,  when  yon  first  knew  them?  A.  They  appeared  to  be 
rather  unhappy. 

Q.  Mr.  Spee'nt  was  a  kind,  good  husband  and  father?  A.  I  did 
not  think  so. 

Q.  He  could  not  live  uj)  to  your  high  East  standard?  A.  (With 
an  amused  smile,  but  with  some  emphasis)  No. 

Q.  Now,  tell  us  something  about  this  mysterious  order  of  yours. 
It  is  part  and  parcel  of  some  Brahmin-Indian  religion,  isn't  it? 
A.  It  is  a  Brahmo-Indian  societv. 

Q.  And  perhaps  you  can  tell  us  something  about  these  elemen- 
tals  we  have  heard  so  much  about  in  the  evidence?    A.  No. 

Q.  You  do  not  know  what  an  elemental  is?    A.  No. 

Q.  And  you  have  spent  all  this  time  studying  under  Dr.  Howard? 
A.  No. 

Q.  It  is  not  something  attached  to  the  astral  bodies  at  any  rate,  is 
it?    A.  I  don't  know. 

Q.  So  you  know  as  little  about  the  elementals  as  you  do  about 
what  became  of  the  money  you  gave  Howard?  A.  Well,  I  have 
read  about  them  in  various  philosophies. 

Q.  Then  will  you  please  tell  us  what  they  are  and  something 
about  them,  so  that  we  shall  know  them  when  we  see  them?  A.  I 
can't. 

Q.  Dr.  Howard  is  a  very  important  man  in  your  order,  is  he 
not?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  What  is  his  title?    A.  Do  not  know 

Q.  Well,  what  position  does  he  hold  in  the  order?  A.  Don't 
know. 

Q.  Now,  I  am  very  curious  about  this  order.  What  is  its  organ- 
ization?   A.  I  don't  know. 

Q.  You  have  rituals  and  signs,  I  suppose?    A.  I  don't  know. 


KNOWS  ONE  SIGN. 

Q.  Well,  I  don't  want  you  to  give  me  the  signs  and  secrets,  but 
how  do  you  recognize  one  another  when  you  meet,  for  instance?  A. 
I  know  of  one  sign. 

Q.  Only  one?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  And  who  gave  it?    A.  Dr.  Howard. 

Q.  Well,  I  think  he  was  very  mean  to  give  you  only  one.  Do 
they  have  degrees  in  the  order?    A.  No. 

Q.  You  have  heard  it  stated  in  the  evidence  that  Howard  made 


9(; 


'?•« 


r. 


the  flaiiu  tliut  ho  bad  170  (loj-Tc'es,  1  .suppos-e?     A.   I  don't   know 

of  tlicni. 

il  At  any  rate,  you  follow  Dr.  Howard,  and  I  snpjiosc  (iiat  while 
at  (lunston^vou  went  to  attend  the  servies  In  the  Temple?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  And  did  Howard  act  as  lli};h  Priest  (I  was  j>()in«;'  to  say 
rTl««h  Coekalornm)?     A.  Dv.  Howard  olliciated. 

(i.  Your  husband  is  not  in  symi)athy  with  Dr.  Howard  and  his 
work.  A.  Ko.  He  is  not  in  sympathy  with  any  religious  move- 
ment. 

il  Did  he  remonstrate  with  you?     A.  No. 

Q.  Then  all  I  can  say  is  that  he  treated  you  remarkably  well. 

Emma  E.  H.  Specht,  wife  of  Mr.  Joseph  Specht,  of  Gunston  Hall, 
Va.,  was  the  next  witness  called  in  rebuttal. 

Examined  by  Mr.  Latehford,  she  stated  that  she  lived  in  St.  Louis 
in  1891,  having  lived  there  from  18G8.  Her  family  life  had  not  been 
very  happy,  her  husband  being  unsteady.  Two  years  after  her 
marriage,  namely  in  1870,  her  husband  failed  in  business,  and  she 
had  sold  her  bridal  presents  and  other  property  of  her  own  to  help 
him  to  start  up  in  business  again.  Her  husband  succeeded  with 
her  assistance,  she  writing  all  of  his  advertisements  and  otherwise 
helping.  She  mentioned,  as  an  example  of  her  shrewd  business, 
apparently,  that  she  had  made  |15,000  out  of  a  real  estate  invest- 
ment, which  she  had  entered  into  on  her  own  account.  She  also 
mentioned  that  she  had  written  a  novel.  (It  was  a  sort  of  theo- 
sophical  production,  something  after  the  Blavatsky  order,  and 
plates,  books,  copyrights,  and  everything  else  connected  with  it 
were  committed  to  the  deep  waters  of  the  Potomac,  with  becoming 
solemnity,  by  Mr.  Specht,  who  was  careful  to  well  ballast  the  sacks 
in  which  the  books  were  placed  with  stones.)  She  had  always  been 
interested  in  philosophical  studies,  and  her  novel  had  treated  of 
philosophical  subjects.  Col.  Celsus  Price  had  been  a  friend  of  hers, 
and  when  he  and  Dr.  Howard  arrived  in  St.  Louis  and  began  lec- 
turing and  writing  on  philosophical  subjects,  she  invited  them  to 
her  house.  Col.  Price  and  Dr.  Howard  were  guests  of  witness  and 
her  husband's  for  three  weeks.  Dr.  Howard's  philosophy  and  plans 
appealed  to  her,  as  she  thought  it  would  benefit  her  eldest  son,  it 
being  intended  that  he  should  have  a  place  in  the  new  institution. 
Dr.  Howard  was  then  residing  in  Montreal.  Out  of  the  proceeds  of 
her  property  she  took  $5,000  for  Gunston  Hall,  and  |5,000  for  the 
proposed  home,  the  whole  with  the  consent  of  Mr.  Specht.  Dr. 
Howard  bought  property  near  Gunston  Hall  in  May,  1894,  and 
began  the  work  of  establishing  his  home.  He  treated  people  there 
as  a  physician,  and  carried  on  his  educational  work.  He  also  held 
regular  "Bible  readings,"  at  which  Mr.  Specht  was  almost  con- 
stantly in  attendance  for  a  whole  year  in  1893,  and  a  part  of  1894. 
Mr.  Specht  had  never  expressed  any  dissatisfaction  with  Howard's 
work  until  he  had  insisted  that  witness  should  sign  over  to  him  all 


97 

right  to  Gunstou  Hall  and  Bea  Venue,  and  she  had  refused.  Mr. 
Specht  was  very  extravagant,  and  wanted  to  squander  money  on 
improvements  to  the  property.  The  trouble  began  a  month  or  ho 
after  the  purchase  of  the  property  in  Virginia,  and  terminated  in 
1894  in  the  getting  out  of  a  petition  in  lunacy  against  witness  by 
her  husband.  This  was  May  12th,  1894.  Witness  emphatically 
denied  the  commission  evidence,  so  far  as  the  mysterious  character 
of  Howard  and  his  work  was  concerned.  In  fact,  denying  para- 
graph after  paragrapli  of  the  testimony  as  quickly  as  it  could  be 
read  to  her  by  Mr.  Latchford,  with  perfect  sang-froid,  the  mono- 
syllable "false"  coming  witli  parrot-like  regularity.  She  swore 
positively  that  she  had  never  heard  Howard  represent  himself  as  an 
ex-M.  P.,  a  baron,  a  colonel  of  cavalry,  an  Indian  prince,  nor  any- 
thing else  of  the  kind.  Sprague,  Howard's  Washington  attorney, 
first  iold  her  that  Dr.  Howard  had  left  the  United  States.  He  toid 
her  that  now  that  Howard  had  left  it  would  be  impossible  for  Mr. 
Specht  to  win  the  lunacy  case.  It  was  Si)rague  who  advised  Dr. 
Howard  to  leave.  In  the  lunacy  proceedings,  after  the  witness  had 
been  examined  by  physicians,  the  proceedings  were  thrown  out  of 
court.  Mr.  Hpecht's  sole  object  in  instituting  the  proceedings  was 
to  get  jjossession  of  the  Gunston  Hall  property. 

MORE  DENIALS. 


In  the  evidence  taken  before  the  commission,  your  husband  swore, 
remarked  Mr.  Latchford,  that  Dr.  Howard's  followers  were  perfect 
slaves  to  his  will.  They  called  him  lord  and  master,  and  cringed 
like  worms.  It  is  not  true,  i)roniptly  came  the  reply  from  the  wit- 
ness. Counsel  then  read  the  following  extract  from  Mr.  Joseph 
Specht's  evidence: 

At  the  first  meeting  I  attended,  it  seems  that  the  Sage  of  Am  had 
to  go  upstairs  to  prepare  himself  for  the  official  services  he  was  sup- 
posed to  hold  as  the  great  high  priest.  He  came  down  after  a  little 
while  dressed  in  a  dark  green  robe  made  out  of  Irish  silk,  a  cheap 
affair,  looking  as  if  it  was  home-made,  nothing  gorgeous  about  it, 
and  he  had  a  belt  around  his  waist,  with  a  sword  sticking  in  his 
scabbard  and  he  had  on  a  little  cap  of  some  kind,  and  he  came  down 
equipped  for  business.  Then  he  turned  his  face  toward  the  East, 
where  the  sun  rises  in  Ihe  morning,  took  oS  his  shoes,  because  he 
said  that  the  Lord  of  High  would  not  allow  any  person  to  wear 
shoes  that  was  praying,  or  going  through  the  order;  and  he  i.mm- 
bled  something  that  I  didn't  understand,  and  finally  he  read  a  chap- 
ter out  of  the  Bible.  I  think  it  was  out  of  the  Psalms,  if  I  mistake 
not.  And  this  is  about  all  that  was  done.  He  gave  some  little 
talk,  you  know,  but  I  did  not  think  there  was  anything  very  exhila- 
rating about  that. 

Q.  Or  anything  very  wrong  at  that  time.    A.  No,  indeed. 

Q.  You  attended  other  meetings?    A.  I  attended  another  meet- 


9S 


s:;' 


S'! 


fJI ',' 


I1 
11 


11 
•i:f 


u 


'^|! 


ing  hiter  ou.  A  tier  be  had  goue  Ihiougli  the  iJieliiniuaries,  he  said 
he  eouhl  not  hold  that  meeting-  because  there  were  too  many  elemen- 
tals  ill  the  room,  that  the  room  was  just  full  of  them,  and  com 
nieuced  slashing  his  sword  around  the  room  so  as  to  kill  the  eleiiKii 
tals.  It  occurred  to  nie  that  the  fellow  must  be  crazy,  and  I  said  I 
did  uot  want  any  more  of  that  religion,  if  it  was  religion.  But  of 
course,  out  of  regard  for  my  wife  and  thos'»  who  were  jHeseut.  I  did 
not  say  anything — I  restrained  myself. 

(i.  Did  the  meeting  go  on?  A.  The  meeting  went  on  aft< '■  ilu- 
elemeiitals  had  been  killed;  I  sui)pose  they  were  lying  all  over  the 
lloor,  but  1  didn't  see  any  of  them. 

Q.  After  the  elemenlals  were  killed  he  went  on  with  the  meet 
ing,  just  as  before?    A.  Yes,  sir. 

Q.  Did  you  have  any  talk  to  your  wife  about  the  absurdity  of  all 
this  proceeding  at  that  time? 

Witness  i)ositively  swore  that  she  had  never  seen  Dr.  Howard 
witli  such  a  gown  as  that  descril)ed  on,  had  never  seen  him  wear  a 
sword  or  act  in  the  manner  described.  There  was  not  a  syllable 
of  truth  in  the  whole  story.  Neither  was  there  a  particle  of  truth 
in  the  story  of  Kev.  Joseph  Specht's,  that  she  had  claimed  that  let- 
ters came  to  her  through  a  mysterious  agency  from  the  Himalayas. 

Mr.  Latcliford  read  witness  the  following  from  Mr.  Specht's 
evidence: 

One  evening  I  sat  in  my  room  in  a  rocking  chair,  smoking  a  cigai'. 
Mrs.  Specht  talking  about  her  religious  affairs,  and  I  told  her  that 
there  was  no  occasion  for  anything  of  that  kind;  that  that  matter 
had  been  settled. 

She  said:  "Yes  there  is.  because  you  have  robbed  me  of  my 
religion  and  my  master" — having  reference  to  Howard,  I  suppose. 
And  she  said:  "I  am  living  a  life  of  prostitution  with  you,  and  I 
have  been  your  concubine  for  29  years." 

I  then  told  her  that  I  thought  the  parting  of  the  ways  had  come. 
that  she  should  never  occupy  my  bed  again  as  long  as  she  lived,  and 
I  ordered  her  to  go  into  another  bedroom. 

Witness  said  there  was  not  one  word  of  truth  in  the  statement 
as  made.  The  truth  of  the  matter  was  that  her  husband  had  made 
an  attack  upon  her  life,  and  witness  had  only  been  saved  by  her 
daughter  with  great  difficulty.  He  was  very  cruel  to  her  some- 
times. He  compelled  hr-  to  make  him  her  trustee,  and  after  tliar 
she  left,  and  took  an  action  against  him  for  alimony. 

To  further  (piestions  witness  stated  that  the  diamonds  she  had 
given  to  Howard  to  dispose  of  were  off-color  diamonds,  for  which 
far  too  much  had  been  paid.  As  to  the  clothes  disposed  of  in  the 
Washington  auction  room,  they  were  mere  castoff  clothes  of  the 
children,  the  accumulation  of  many  years,  which  had  been  littering 
the  cellars  of  Gunston  Hall,  and  which  had  been  sold  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  Mr.  Specht.  As  to  the  story  that  she  had  received  a 
letter  with  a  lotus  flower  in  it,  supposed  to  have  come  from  India, 


she  8ai( 
that  sh(, 
seconds, 
her  alio 
After 
had  bee 
look  hoi 


Q.  Yc 

Speeht? 

Q.  Yo 

Q.  Bu 

Q.  Yo 

smiled  a 

Q.  An 

(Another 

Q.  I  h 

gether,  p 

her  head 

Q.  We 

not  live 

Q.  Ybi 

A.  I  live 

Q.  Yoi 

A.  Yes. 

Q.  Tha 

I  want  y 

philosopl 

what  abc 

Q.  Yoi 

know. 

Q.  We 

Q.  We 

with  Dr. 

Q.  We 

is  Dr.  H( 

Q.  No^ 

to  you. 

Q.  Did 


Q.  Wei 

memory. 
The  let 


99 

she  said  that  she  had  never  seiMi  a  lotus  flower.  She  never  said 
that  she  had  means  of  j-ettin^-  letters  from  the  Himalayas  in  a  few 
seconds.  She  only  wished  she  knew  how.  She  gave  the  checks  for 
lier  allowance  to  Dr.  IIowar'^  and  he  cashed  them. 

After  a  few  letters,  which  showed  (hat  for  some  time  Mr.  Spcclit 
had  been  interested  in  Howard's  work,  had  been  put  in,  Mr.  Osier 
took  hold  of  the  witness  for  cross-examination. 


MRS.   SPECHT  CROSS  EXAMINED. 


Q.  You  had  no  means  in  your  own  right  when  you  married  Mr, 
Specht?  he  inquired.     A.  No,  rcj)licd   tl.e  witness,  laconically. 

Q.  You  were  poor  and  he  was  poor?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  But  you  had  m  happy  home?    A.  Yes,  at  tirst. 

Q.  You  had  a  fine,  tall,  handsome  and  kind  husband?  '\Vitn(-s8 
smiled  assent.) 

Q.  And  you  were  a  fine,  smart,  intelligent-looking  young  woman? 
(Another  pleased  smile.) 

Q.  I  have  no  doubt  that  when  you  walked  out  in  St.  Louis  to- 
gether, people  said  there's  a  good-looking  couple.  (Witness  shook 
her  head  deprecatingly  and  significKl  dissent  by  a  shake  of  the  head.) 

Q.  Well,  you  must  have  had  all  of  the  good  looks  then.  You  do 
not  live  with  your  husband  now?     A.  No. 

Q.  You  live  with  Dr.  Howard  at  Carleton  Place,  do  you  not? 
A.  I  live  at  Dr.  Howard's  house  and  take  my  meals  at  the  hotel. 

Q.  You  used  to  live  happily  with  your  husband  at  St.  Louis  once? 
A.  Yes. 

Q.  That  was  before  this  Indian  philosophy  overtook  you.  Now, 
I  want  you  to  tell  the  court  and  jury  something  about  this  Indian 
philosophy  about  which  we  have  been  hearing.  In  the  first  place, 
what  about  the  order?    What  do  you  call  it?    A.  I  don't  know. 

Q.  You  don't  know.  Well,  what  does  it  consist  of?  A.  Don't 
know. 

Q.  Well,  of  course,  you  know  tl'ere  is  an  order?    A.  No. 

Q.  Well,  let  me  see  if  I  can  assist  3'ou.  You  have  corresponded 
with  Dr.  Howard  and  know  his  writing,  I  suppose?    A.  Yes. 

Q.  Well  (producing  letter),  look  at  this  letter  and  tell  me  if  this 
is  Dr.  Howard's  signature  in  his  own  handwriting?    A.  Y"es. 

Q.  Now,  look  at  the  address.  You  will  observe  that  it  is  addressed 
to  you.    A.  Yes. 

Q.  Did  you  receive  it?    A.  Yes. 


REFRESHED  HER  MEMORY 


Q.  Well,  let  me  read  it  to  the  jury;  perhaps  it  will  refresh  y(»ur 
memory. 
The  letter,  which  was  filed  as  an  exhibit,  read  as  follows: 


100 


15 


fl 


M 


Moutreul,  21  AiiguHt,  1891. 
Mre.  E.  E.  H.  Specht, 

3723  Pine  street,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 
My  Dear  Friend: 

Your  letter  of  tiie  lith  inst.  came  duly  to  hand  and  I  have  writ- 
ten several  replies  thereto,  but  none  of  them  seemed  to  satisfy  me, 
so  I  did  not  mail  them. 

Of  course,  you  know  that  I  should  be  most  delighted  to  get  rid  of 
the  necessity  of  doing  anything  with  the  financial  part  of  the  work, 
bat  there  is  no  one  else  here  who  can  relieve  me  of  the  duty;  if  I 
were  to  send  to  India  for  one  of  our  Order  of  the  Viasya  caste  he 
would  be  ignorant  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  this  people. 

Our  order  pledges  its  integrity  for  the  administration  to  the  just 
uses  of  all  funds  that  may  be  subscribed  for  the  work  in  hand; 
this  work  can  only  be  conducted  by  myself,  as  I  am  the  only  one 
whom  the  Council  can  control  for  the  higher  work,  to  me  has 
been  committed  this  trust.  The  work  must  be  done  according  to 
their  instructions,  if  done  at  all,  nor  are  they  willing  to  put  their 
affairs  in  such  a  position  that  a  conflict  of  jurisdiction  can  be  ever 
possible.  Do  you  comprehend  the  possibility  indicated?  We  are 
having  a  very  nice  visit  from  Mrs.  P.  J.  Willis  and  her  two  lovely 
daughters;  they  came  last  Sunday  and  will,  I  expect,  remain  for 
two  or  three  weeks  with  ns.  Mr.  Quintas  Price  has  come  home,  so 
we  have  a  full  house  at  present. 

I  presume  that  your  son  Edward  has  returned  to  St.  Louis  by 
this  time;  he  said  he  expected  to  be  home  to-night.  Joseph  is 
quite  well,  as  I  suppose  you  know  from  himself. 

In  regard  to  what  I  said  to  you  about  writing  to  him  of  the  busi- 
ness at  home,  you  perhaps  have  not  thought  that  if  you  wish  him 
to  ever  believe  that  Mr.  Specht  means  what  he  says,  viz.,  that 
Joseph  is  no  longer  to  expect  anything  from  him  until  he  has  proved 
his  manhood,  nor  shall  he  ever  go  in  the  store  again.  So  long  as 
you  are  keeping  him  posted,  and  from  what  you  said  he  is  under 
the  impression  that  tlie  money  Mr.  Sprecht  has  promised  to  our 
order  is  given  on  his  account,  because  he  is  taking  it  up;  this,  yon 
know,  is  not  the  case,  because  we  were  promised,  say  $10,000,  bo- 
fore  anything  of  the  kind  was  contemplated;  the  rest  you  know; 
but  I  want  you  to  put  yourself  right  in  this,  because  it  would  seem 
as  though  we  were  selling  our  membership  for  money,  which  we 
will  not  do.  Joseph  is  not  a  member  of  the  order,  and  it  will  take 
a  different  disposition  on  his  part  before  he  can  ever  be  one  of  us. 

NOT  LIKE  FREEMASONS. 

This   order   is  not  like  the  Odd  Fellows  or   Freemasons,  where 

a  man  can  gain  admittance  on  the  payment  of  a  certain  fee;  all  the 

money  in  the  world  will  never  advance  a  man  an  eye-lash  length 

beyond  his  spiritual  merit.    I  suppose  you  are  aware  of  this  in  part? 

^  What  I  hope  for  Joseph  is  that  he  will  take  an  interest  in  things 


divine  un 
to  help  ai 
but  he  m 
me;  lie  ii 
concernec 
of  it,  whe 
iial.  He 
those  wh 
now  even 
you  say  h 
way  fore^ 
willed  ac 
Human  ai 
a  king. 

And  af 
worldly  li 
for  him. 
to  see  bin 

Now  I 
one  who  > 
you,  mucl 
err. 


The  ab( 
pears  to  u 
of  his  ha 
punctuati 
tences  an 
errors.  A 
matter  wi 
ture,  so  th 

After  t 
get  the  w 
answer  ev 


Q.  Wh£ 

with  the  c 

Q.  Hes 

Ivnow." 

Q.  So  3- 
Doctor  spi 
Then  M 
fied  as  bei 
to  her  hu« 
it  in  the  cj 


101 

diviue  and  not  from  cuiiotitv,  as  at  present,  and  that  be  will  be  able 
to  help  as  professor  in  our  school  and  help  me  in  my  practice  also; 
but  he  must  alter  his  gate  if  he  does.  Now,  do  you  misunderstand 
me;  lie  is  doinp  excellently  as  far  as  keepin{;  himself  8traij;ht  is 
concerned,  but  I  am  speakinj;  of  our  work  from  the  Master's  side 
of  it,  where  we  look  to  the  soul  and  not  to  the  actions  of  the  individ- 
ual. He  has  no  conception  of  what  is  expected  and  required  of 
those  who  walk  with  us,  nor  would  he  be  able  to  bear  the  strain 
now  even  if  he  knew;  therefore,  it  behooves  you  to  be  careful  what 
you  say  to  him  about  these  matters,  for  fear  that  you  may  block  his 
way  foreveV.  We  can  overlook  many  a  blunder,  but  not  one  self- 
willed  act  of  man.  (Jod  does  not  do  so,  neither  does  our  council. 
Human  arrogance  is  not  to  be  tolerated  for  a  moment,  not  ev€*n  from 
a  king. 

And  again  you  bring  around  your  son  the  elemental  of  the 
worldly  life  he  has  to  forget  before  he  can  ever  be  what  you  hope 
for  him.  It  is  for  the  good  of  all  concerned  that  I  speak,  for  I  wish 
to  see  him  succeed  in  what  he  has  undertaken. 

Now  I  hope  you  will  understand  me.  I  spake  in  all  kindness  as 
one  who  would  do  you  good;  but  you  must  remember  that  not  even 
you,  much  as  we  love  you,  can  be  passed  by  unreproved  when  you 
err. 

I  am  faithfully  yours, 

G.  S.  HOWARD. 

The  above  letter  was  written  with  typewriter,  which  Howard  ap- 
pears to  use  for  most  of  his  correspondence.  He  is  even  very  chary 
of  his  handwriting,  even  in  making  corrections,  and  the  faulty 
punctuation,  mistakes  in  spelling  and  involved  and  incomplete  sen- 
tences are  in  the  original,  and  apparently  due  to  mere  mechanical 
errors.  A  few  short  but  essential  words  omitted  in  the  typewritten 
matter  were  written  in  Howard's  handwriting,  and  also  the  signa- 
ture, so  that  the  letter  was  easy  to  identify. 

After  the  letter  had  been  read  Mr.  Osier  tried  for  some  time  to 
get  the  witness  to  explain  certain  sentences,  but  she  had  the  same 
answer  every  time.  ''Don't  know." 

THE  ELEMENTALS. 

Q.  What  does  he  mean  when  he  speaks  about  the  Elemental 
with  the  capital  *'E"?  asked  the  learned  counsel.    A.  Don't  know. 

Q.  He  speaks  of  a  promise  to  pay  |10,000  and  says,  ''the  rest  you 
know."    What  was  the  rest?    A.  Don't  know. 

Q.  So  you  didn't  know  the  rest,  after  all;  but  you  hear  that  the 
Doctor  spoke  of  the  order?    (so  answer.) 

Then  Mr.  Osier  showed  w'  ness  another  letter,  which  she  identi- 
fied as  being  in  her  own  hanf  writing  and  as  having  been  sent  by  her 
to  her  husband.  Mr.  Osier  read  it  to  the  court  as  follows,  and  filed 
it  in  the  case: 


■vr 


1U2 


II 


Washington,  11,  30,  '95. 

Aly  Is)ear  Joseph:  . 

The  box  coutaiuing  the  turkey  and  other  good  things  came  to 
hand  Wednesday  evening,  and  Miss  Hemstreet  and  I  have  enjoyed 
them  ever  since.  The  flowers,  pinks,  roses,  chrysanthemums,  all 
lovely,  arrived  Thursday,  just  as  we  were  lamenting  that  she  had 
forgotten  to  have  a  few  flowers  for  Sallie,  the  housekeeper's  wed- 
ding. She  was  married  and  left  the  same  day.  I  will  proceed  now 
to  try  and  explain  to  you,  in  an  unbiased  manner  and  with  no 
thought  in  my  mind,  or  feeling  in  my  heart,  but  that  of  truth  and 
kindliness,  entirely  free  from  all  judgment  or  malice.  Let  us'put  aside 
the -question  of  religious  differences  for  a  moment  altogether  and 
look  at  this  matter  in  a  clear  light.  You  know  no  human  being  can 
1)0  the  sole  controller  and  arbiter  of  another  one's  inclinations  and 
tendencies.  A  woman  is  bound  to  cherish  her  own  individuality 
sacredly,  married  or  not  married.  Now,  you  can  imagine  for  one 
moment  that  if  1  was  really  the  modern  church  woman  you  would 
wish  me  to  be,  that  any  obscure  country  or  city  life  could  ever  sat- 
isfy my  ambition  to  work  out  what  I  would  think  my  proi)er  des- 
tiny? I  would  belong  to  literary  clubs,  go  into  first-class  society, 
spend  money  lavishly  on  charity,  etc.  All  my  life  I  have  secretly 
cherished  the  ambition  to  build  some  great  institution  to  benefit 
man,  so  tnat  I  would  have  not  lived  in  vain. 


SOME  PHILOSOl'HY. 


ft    :' 

1  ■: 


i<  ■(■' 


A  woman  of  my  active  temperament  would  never  be  content  with 
a  purely  domestic  life.  It  is  possible  that  in  spile  of  our  long  mar- 
ried life  we  have  not  come  into  such  close  relationship  that  you 
<ould  fully  understand  my  longings,  aims  and  ambitions  of  the  past 
years'?  I  hope  you  will  believe  me  when  [  say  that  I  have  no  other 
motive  in  writing  you  all  this,  save  to  prove  my  vi(  w  of  existing 
conditions,  that  I  do  not  blame  you  for  anything.  The  agony  that 
the  mere  thought  of  separating  from  you  caused  me  was  so  greai 
that  it  threw  me  upon  a  bed  of  suflering,  when  I  almost  lost  my  life. 
I  had  no  opportunity  to  show  you  by  indulging  you  in  material  lux- 
uries how  I  agonized  over  what  has  been  the  long,  deep-rooted 
growth  of  years,  nor  will  you  ever  know;  this  matter  of  our  life-long 
companionship  cannot  be  lightly  bioken,  you  know  well  enough, 
but  even  this  cannot  change  what  is  irrevocabU\  viz.,  the  condi- 
tions of  our  minds  and  what  has  also  been  the  growth  of  years  in 
our  characters.  1  saw  myself  in  the  spirit,  at  home  trying  very  hard 
for  hours,  to  light  our  cooking  stove  fire;  matches  and  paper  would 
light  and  invariably  die  out,  withou*^  being  able  to  ignite  the  fine 
kindling  wood;  you  camo  and  tried,  o'l!  so  hard,  to  do  the  same,  in 
vain;  we  both  tried  to  relight  our  hear'h  fire;  it  was  impossible;  our 
home  fire  had  turned  to  dead  ashes,  an,'  neither  you  nor  T,  nor  bolli 
together,  could  roliglit  it.  The  colored  servant  lit  it  easily  and 
cooked  dinner  on  it.     Tliat  set  nir  to  thinkiug.     Living  in  such  con- 


103 


10,  '95. 

came  to 
enjoyed 
urns,  all 
she  had 
'i-'s  wt'd 
eed  now 
with  no 
'ulh  and 
)ut  aside 
her  and 
Bing  can 
Ions  and 
'idualilv 
for  one 
u  would 
jver  sat- 
per  des- 
soeiely, 
secretly 
•  benefit 


2nt  with 
mg  mar- 
hat  you 
the  past 
ao  other 
existing 
)ny  that 
30  great 
my  life, 
rial  liix- 
p-rooted 
life-long 
enougli. 
e  condi- 
years  in 
^ry  hard 
r  would 
the  fine 
same,  in 
ble;  our 
lor  Ivotli 
sily  and 
leh  eon- 


staut  comi)anionship  with  me,  bound  as  I  was  to  be,  to  an  idle  life, 
unable  to  carry  out  any  special  plans  of  my  own,  our  aims  and  lives 
would  have  grown  wider  and  wider  apart,  when  innumerable  mis- 
understandings would  have  been  the  result.  Two  remedies  aloue 
would  have  healed  the  constant  breaches  between  us.  Had  you 
humbled  yourself  to  the  dust  aud  served  God  with  ail  your  heart, 
devoting  all  your  energies,  powers  aud  money  to  Christ's  cause, 
living  just  as  lie  taught,  a  pure,  sell'-sacrilicing  life,  aud  1  joined 
heart  aud  soul  with  you.  Or,  secondly,  had  you  joined  heart 
and  soul  with  me  in  living  as  the  aspirer  of  that  which  is  holiest, 
highest  and  best  in  uuin  and  woman,  been  a  sincere  truth-seeker 
under  t.ie  new  dispensation,  we  would  have  both  loved  each  other 
so  purely  aud  grown  into  each  other  as  one,  as  man  and  wife  should. 

You  ask  me  to  forget  what  1  know  of  that  which  has  become  part 
of  myself.  These  higher  truths  have  become  so  ingrained  into  my 
being  that  not  even  death  will  dis[»erse  them;  but,  i;ven  if  1  were 
perfectly  willing  and  anxions  to  recant  and  honestly  desired  to 
abide  by  what  you  demand  and  desire,  there  are  absolutely  no  posi- 
tive means  in  my  power  to  convince  you  for  good,  all  aud  forever, 
that  1  was  entirely  free  and  uuiniiuenced  forever  from  that  which 
antagonizes  you.  Cau  yon  not  see  that  there  is  a  law  here  ovei- 
which  neither  you  nor  1  have  full  control?  \\'hich  places  us  in  the 
most  pitiable  plight?  Shakespeare  says:  "Trifles,  light  as  air,  are 
proofs  as  strong  as  Holy  Writ,"  to  confirm  suspicion.  Some  inno- 
cent action  or  word  of  mine,  a  chance  newspaper  paragrai)h,  indeed, 
hundreds  of  irrelevant  things,  might  arouse  that  which  glows  as  an 
unextinguishable  fire  within  you.  On  the  other  hand,  what  guar- 
antee could  I  have,  if  I  obi'ved  your  will  in  this  matter,  that  yuu 
fully  trusted  and  believed  me.  or  that  you  had  changed  youi-  views 
of  me?  I  am  fully  convinced  that  whether  I  do  as  you  wish  me  to 
do  or  still  pursue  the  (-(uirse  I  have  nuirked  out  for  myself,  that  all 
attempts  on  onr  part  to  live  the  peaceful  life  (U)d  intends  us  (o  do 
by  any  reconciliation  on  onr  part,  will  be  futile  and  useless. 

Matters  must  now.  I  am  sad  to  say.  with  a  heart  forever  broken, 
])ursue  the  course  inevitable  under  such  unhappy  and  unfortunate 
conditions.  As  I  understood  you.  when  you  came  to  see  me  in 
October,  it  was  your  wish  and  mine.  So  let  it  be!  The  uprooting 
of  that  which  it  took  28,  nay  2!>,  years  to  plant  and  succor  cannot 
bo  done  in  a  short  time. 

The  attorney  for  me  has  been  in  court  all  week.  Tie  says  to 
])lease  tell  you  it  will  be  totally  ini])ossible  to  have  any  meeting  next 
week,  but  week  after  next  he  can  attend  to  it. 

I  know  you  will  coincide  with  nu^  in  this  matter,  perfectly  .satis- 
fied that  our  unhaiii)y  life  lived  in  companionship  would  be  far 
worse  than  sojiaration.  It  is  inevitable!  T  shall  be  glad  to  see  you 
any  time  yon  may  come  to  see  me  while  matters  are  pending 
betwef^n  us.  Let  us  lio])e  tlie  agony  may  all  soon  be  over  for  us 
both  Your  loving 

EMMA. 


104 


« 


i 


It  is  just  a  good,  dutiful,  Christian  wife's  letter,  remarked  the 
witness,  as  she  identified  it. 

Liit  us  see  what  a  good,  dutiful  wife's  letter  is  like,  said  Mr.  Osier, 
as  he  proceeded  to  read  it. 

You  seem  to  have  loved  him,  remarked  Mr.  Osier,  as  be  finished 
the  reading. 

LOVES  HEK  HUSBAND  STILL. 


■i     : 

■*     '<■ 

V 

(  ■, 

.!■    ■' 


Yes;  I  love  him  still,  replied  the  witness. 

Q.  Just  as  a  dutiful  Christian  wife  should?    A.  Yes. 

Q,  Yes;  on  paper.     (Silence.) 

Q.  You  saw  a  good  deal  of  Dr.  Howard  while  he  was  at  Gsnston. 
What  did  he  do?  A.  Well,  he  was  busy  in  connection  with  the 
institution. 

Q.  What  doing?    A.  Investigating  and  teaching  his  pliilosophy. 

Q.  Yes,  we  know;  the  philosophy  that  separates  wife  from  hue- 
band.     What  else  did  he  do?    A.  He  had  plenty  to  do. 

Q.  What  did  you  say  you  call  the  order?     A.  I  did  not  say. 

Q.  Was  it  The  Royal  Ancient  Order  of  the  Oriental  Mysteries? 
A.  No. 

Q.  Well,  how  will  this  do,  The  Occidental  Branch  of  the  Sat-Ba- 
Koah?     A.  No. 

Q.  Did  you  ever  hear  it  called  anything?     A.  No. 

Q.  Dr.  Howard  never  told  you?     A.  No. 

Q.  Then  I  must  say  he  treated  you  very  badly.  A.  As  a  matter 
of  fact,  he  had  several  names  for  the  order. 

Q.  But  he  told  you  about  his  ritual.  I  suppose?     A.  No. 

SOME  OF  THE  RITUAL. 


I-: 


Q.  He  didn't  tell  you  about  his  ritual,  but  you  knew,  of  course, 
that  he  had  one?     A.  No. 

Q.  WeW,  indeed,  lie  did  treat  you  unkindly,  for  here  we  have  in 
connection  with  the  evidence  taken  before  the  commission  the  fol- 
lowing ritual  for  the  opening  and  closing  of  the  lodge.    Now,  listen. 

Proceeds  to  read  document  as  follows: 

OPENING  SERVICE. 


The  members  of  this  class.  No. 


Occidental  Branch  of  the 


Oriental  Order  of  the  Sat  Bai  Gooha,  will  repair  to  their  places, 
the  members  grouj)  themselves  about  the  tables,  as  if  in  waiting, 
the  Chowdrani  coming  forward  addressing  tliem,  saying:  "I^adies. 
why  are  you  waiting  here?" 

(All  answer) — We  are  waiting  for  our  Overseer,  who  is  to  come 
from  the  East  with  instructions  from  the  Council  of  our  Order  for 
our  guidance  in  the  search  for  Wisdom  and  the  Ancient  Truths. 

Chowdrani — Then  who  are  you?    A.  Sat  Bai  Gooha. 


105 

Q.  What  mean  you  by  this  answer?    A.  The  seven  ladies  of 
the  secret  chamber. 

Q.  How  am  I  to  know  you  to  be  such?    A.  By  our  Sign,  Word 
and  Token. 

Q.  What  is  your  word?  (They  all  come  forward,  and  each  in  turn 
whispers  the  word  in  her  ear.) 

Q.  Wliat,  then,  is  your  token?  (Each  now  presents  her  token  for 
inspection.) 

Q.  You  are  most  assuredly  the  Metri  whom  I  an:  seeking,  but  be- 
fore I  give  fellowship  in  Prasad,  I  would  have  you  describe  your 
chamber.  Where  is  it?  A.  Our  chamber  is  at  a  retired  spot  near 
ancient  Himavat.  It  is  a  very  holy  place  called  Goloka,  but  owing 
to  its  great  distance  from  us,  it  has  pleased  the  council  of  our  order 
to  permit  us  to  hold  our  meetings  under  the  direction  of  a  Chowdrahi 
duly  appointed  to  lead  us  in  devotions.  W'e  believe  you  to  be  that 
person,  and  if  so  be  you  will  display  your  authority,  that  we  may 
know  you  as  such  and  listen  to  your  words,  and,  hearing,  obey  the 
Instructions  you  bring  us  from  Maharajah  Taya. 

Q,  Your  belief  is  well  founded.  I  am  Chowdraci.  But  I  would 
inquire  further  to  test  your  knowledge.  What  is  the  form  of  the 
chamber  which  you  have  mentioned?  A.  It  is  circular,  having  a 
dome-shaped  roof,  typifying  the  vaults  of  the  heavens. 

Q.  What  does  it  contain?  A.  Seven  chairs,  a  circular  table,  and 
a  lamp  of  a  very  peculiar  construction,  the  light  of  which  is  re- 
flected downward  on  Grantha. 

Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  Grantha?  A.  In  our  language,  which 
is  in  the  ancient  Devan-agri,  it  means  the  Book  of  the  Sacred  Laws. 

Q.  What  does  this  peculiarly  constructed  lamp  signify  in  your 
philosophy?  A.  It  is  said  to  be  made  after  the  pattern  of  the  one 
used  in  the  ancient  temple.  It  represents  the  Lord  of  Light,  and 
reminds  us  of  the  presence  of  His  Spirit  in  our  souls,  and  also 
admonishes  us  of  the  necessity  of  keeping  our  son's  c'-ean  from  the 
defilements  of  all  earthly  vice,  so  that  His  light  divine  may  shine 
forth. 

CLOSING  SERVICES. 

Sat  Bai  Gooha — The  time  draweth  nigh,  and  I  will  now  ask  you  to 
Assist  me  in  closing  this  Durbar,  but  before  declaring  it  closed  let  us 
pray. 

SOULS  IN  SWARGA. 


Diaus-patir— Lord  God,  we  thank  Thee  for  this  opportunity  which 
it  hath  blessed  Thee  to  vouchsafe  unto  us  of  again  meeting  in  Thy 
name,  and  we  praise  and  adore  Thy  great  name  for  Thy  loving  kind- 
ness. Confirm  our  purposes  to  live  righteously  and  sober'y  in  this 
present  life,  free  from  the  fetters  of  earthly  folly  and  all  worldly 
wisdom  from  the  council.  Inspire  us  with  hope  born  of  the  assur- 
ance that  we  shall  one  day  arrive  at  the  rest  of  the  undisturbed  and 


106 


il- 


I'! 

ii 


si 

m 


find  our  completeness  by  absorption  in  Thee,  which  is  the  Nirvanya 
of  the  blest.  Now  may  Thy  grace  and  peace  follow  and  abide  with 
us  in  all  our  lives  as  we  go  forth  from  this  cliamber,  and  when  we 
be  done  with  the  life  of  the  flesh  we  pray  Thee  to  receive  our  souls 
in  Swarga. 

(All  respond)  So  may  it  be. 

Chowdrani — Metri — It  becomes  our  duty  now  to  place  in  a  safe 
place  these  things  which  belong  to  our  chamber.  Let  the  book  be 
secured  from  all  inquisitive  eyes.  Let  the  chairs  be  back  to  back. 
Now  let  us  all  unite  in  giving  the  lioly  sign. 

(All  I'ising,  turn  their  chairs  back  to  back,  and  standing,  give  the 
sign.) 

Chowdrani — Sat  Bai — The  Chovvk  Bythnia  no  longer  exists,  chaos 
reigns.  So  it  was  in  the  beginning,  and  so  it  shall  be  in  the  end. 
It  is  only  in  our  own  inward  consciences  where  memory  can  treasure 
the  reality,  and  so  may  we  treasure  the  great  truths  that  we  may 
gather  here.  As  I  bear  aw.iy  with  me  the  records  of  this  meeting, 
so  may  you  bear  away  in  your  hearts  the  Master's  blessing.  Peace 
be  with  you  always. 

There  remaining  nothing  more  to  be  done,  I,  in  the  name  of  the 
Master  under  whom  wo  sereve,  declare  this  chamber  closed,  and  to 
stand  closed  until  the  next  regular  meeting,  unless  in  case  of  emer- 
gency it  should  sooner  be  convened,  in  which  case  you  shall  have 
due  notice.    God  be  with  you. 

(All  respond)  So  may  it  be. 

Well,  at  any  rate,  it  takes  seven  to  form  a  lodge,  and  perhaps 
he  has  not  been  able  to  get  seven  yet,  remarked  Mr.  Osier,  after 
reading  the  documents. 

Q.  What  was  the  form  of  admission  to  the  order?  A.  I  don't 
know. 

Q.  Was  there  an  oatli  or  obligation?    A.  No. 

Q.  (Producing  document.)  Well,  here  is  a  paper  purporting  to  be  an 
obligation  signed  by  Sylvester  Nidelet,  Celsus  Price  and  Quintus 
Price,  put  in  at  the  commission.  Did  you  have  to  take  an  obligation 
'like  that?    A.  No. 


if 


JIRY  GIVES  ITS  VERDICT  FOR  THE  STAR. 


Less  Than   Five   Minutes   Out  of  Court  to   Deliberate. 


THE  ADDRESSES  BY  THE   COUNSEL  AND  AN  INTERESTING 
CHARGE  BY  THE  CHIEF  JUSTICE. 


l»erth,  April  28.— ur  all  the  exhibits  jml  hi  by  the  defense  none 
was  of  {greater  inteiest,  ]>eihaj>s,  than  the  original  obligation  of 
Howard's  order  shown  to  Mrs.  Specht  in  the  witness  box  during 
her  cross-examination  by  Mr.  Osier,  Q.  (J. 

The  document  which  was  I'aiiiastically,  but  not  very  artistically, 
engrossed  in  red  and  black  ink,  was  as  follows: 


^tXi(  J)cus  ^(^sio  £nx 


4>atli  'I'likcii  b.v  VictiiiiN. 

I,  A.  B..  of  my  own  free  will,  acordiug  to  my  conscience,  humbly 
kneeling  before  Almighty  (lod.  the  great  all-wise  and  incompre- 
hensible Creator  of  the  universe,  in  whom  and  by  whom  I  live,  move 
iind  have  my  being,  declare  my  faith,  I  believe  in  One  God,  the 
Eternal  first  cause,  having  neitluM'  beginning  of  days  or  end  of  life. 
Who  is  Infinite  and  Eternal,  ever  i)resent,  all  seeing,  all  wise,  and 
that  His  eyes  do  always  behold  me  and  all  other  of  His  creatures; 
that  He  is  all-pov,  erful.  by  His  decree  I  am,  all  things  are,  and  He  is. 

I  believe  He  is  ^Spirit,  and  is  the  life  and  (^ssence  of  all  things,  ani- 
mate and  inanimate,  organic  and  ijioi'ganic,  and  that  He  created  all 
things  by  the  word  of  His  ineffable  power,  first  Spirit,  then  Soul, 
and  lastly  the  matei-ial  universe  of  form  and  matter.  I  believe  in 
the  Trinity  as  the  executive  power  of  God.  for  tlie  government  of  the 
universe  under  the  One.  I  believe  in  arch-angels,  angels  and  spirits, 
who  act  as  the  ministers  of  God  to  men.  1  believe  the  Spirit  of 
eternal  life  ]icrvades  all  things.  Therefore,  nothing  is  ever,  was, 
or  can  be,  destroyed,  so  long  as  the  spirit  of  life  exists.  I  believe 
in  the  immortalitv  of  (ho  soul  and  of  its  continued  existence  under 

lOT 


m 


ii^ 


108 


If 

■>> 

■i  I 


altered  conditions  after  change  men  call  death.  I  believe  in  the 
unseen  or  disembodied  state  of  the  soul,  that  rewards  and  punish- 
ments are  given  to  this  immortal  for  deeds  done  in  the  body. 

I  believe  in  that  condition  of  blessed  peace  called  Heaven,  and 
one  of  most  abject  misery  called  hell.  I  believe  in  the  existence 
of  good  and  evil,  and  the  individuality  of  the  powers  of  good  and 
evil,  that  the  soul  of  the  perfect  men  or  the  twice  born  are  taken 
into  the  presence  of  the  Gods  and  made  the  companions  of  the 
angels.  That  those  whose  lives  are  evil  in  this  life  will  after 
death  be  banished  from  among  the  chosen  and  become  outcasts, 
the  companions  of  the  fallen  angels  and  reprobate  men,  from  which 
condition  there  is,  therefore,  no  redemption,  but  an  endless  banish- 
ment and  continued  curse,  which  the  immortal  soul  must  forever 
endure. 

I  believe  God  so  loves  His  creatures  that  He  has  in  times  past 
and  will  cagain  send  the  spirit  of  His  ministers,  who,  taking  upon 
themselves  the  form  of  humanity,  dwelt  among  men,  seeking  to  be 
to  them  samples  of  Holiness. 


INCARNATION  OF  SPIRITS. 


■^1 


f 

i 
{ 

f 


h!5 


I  believe  in  incarnation  of  spirits  in  human  form;  in  all  this  I 
recognize  God's  goodness,  wisdom,  justice  and  mercy,  for  all  of 
which  I  am  truly  grateful,  returning  thanksgiving  and  praise,  as  it 
is  proper  I  should.  Believing  in  all  this  most  fully  and  truly,  I  now 
call  upon  Him  to  witness  this,  my  solemn  obligation,  and  may  He 
be  my  judge  and  reward  me  my  portion  among  the  evil-doers  if  I 
fail  to  keep  it  inviolate  forever. 

I,  A.  B.,  a  man  of  mature  years  and  sound  mind,  of  my  own  free 
will  and  accord,  calling  upon  God  and  His  Holy  Angels  to  be  my 
witnesses,  and  in  the  presence  of  my  sponsor  and  the  council  of 
brothers  here  assembled,  do  most  solemnly  promise  and  swear  that 
1  will  always  conceal  and  never  reveal  the  secrets  of  this  council,  or 
any  other  degree  or  degrees,  of  this  Royal  Oriental  Order  of  the 
Ancient  Mysteries,  under  what  name  soever  it  or  they  may  be 
called,  nor  any  of  its  ritual,  rites  or  ceremonies.  I  swear  that  I 
will  never,  by  any  sign,  word  or  token,  make  known  any  of  the  arts, 
part  or  principles;  that  I  will  not  write  them,  cut,  carve  or  indite 
them  upon  anything  moveable  or  immovable  under  the  whole  can- 
opy of  Heaven;  that  I  will  not  myself  do  so,  nor  will  I  permit 
another  to  do  if  in  my  power  to  prevent  it.  I  swear  to  protect  them 
to  the  utmost  of  my  ability,  promising  to  risk  life  and  limb  in  their 
defense,  if  required  so  to  do.  I  swear  that  I  will  always  aid  and 
protect  a  brother  master  or  fellow  of  the  craft  against  all  and  every 
person,  power  or  thing  to  the  greatest  of  my  ability  without  regard 
to  the  consequence  to  myself,  when  knowing  him  to  be  a  master, 
brother  or  fellow  of  the  order,  be  he  right  or  be  he  wrong,  acknowl- 
edging always  the  bond  of  my  fraternal  fealty  and  leaving  the 
equity  of  his  cause  to  the  judgment  by  a  council  of  his  peers  or  the 


109 


deeisiuu  of  the  Supreme  Sponsor  of  the  Order.  Further,  I  swear  to 
maintain  his  secrets  and  conceal  the  same  from  all  persons  whom- 
soever as  carefully  as  I  would  my  own,  and  as  1  would  wish  him 
under  like  circumstances  to  conceal  mine  if  in  his  possession,  only 
and  excepting  when  required  by  the  mandate  of  the  Supreme 
Sponsor,  duly  attested,  to  reveal  the  same;  and,  further,  I  swear 
to  protect  and  defend  the  person,  honor,  property  and  life  of  the 
Supreme  Sponsor  against  all  and  every  person  or  persons,  pov/ers, 
governments,  place  or  thing  whatsoever;  that  I  will  obey  his  man- 
dates in  all  things  in  a  prompt  and  willingly  and  unquestionably 
obedience,  promising  to  travel  over  sea  or  land  to  carry  out  his 
messages,  acting  always  and  in  every  particular  in  exact  obedience 
expressed  or  understood  and  as  conveyed  to  me  personally  by  the 
Sponsor  or  by  a  duly  accredited  courier,  or  by  the  Supreme  Spon- 
sor's mandate,  duly  attested.  1  promise  and  swear  to  obey  the 
Sponsor  in  all  things,  and  to  respect  all  duly  and  regularlv  consti- 
tuted authority  under  him  as  the  supreme  head  of  this  order. 

Promising  at  all  times  to  labor  for  the  advancement  and  good 
name  of  the  order,  to  promote  its  interests  and  conserve  its  secrets, 
binding  myself  therefore  by  the  penalties  of  the  order,  which  are, 
that  having  been  adjudged  guilty  of  the  violation  of  this  most 
solemn  and  sacred  obligation  by  a  council  of  my  peers,  and  the 
same  being  confirmed  by  the  Supreme  Sponsor,  that  my  body  shall 
be  dismembered  according  to  the  ancient  and  most  holy  decree; 
to  all  of  which  I  pledge  my  most  sacred  honor,  oath  and  word,  my 
faith  in  Supreme  Creator  and  my  hope  of  my  immorality  beyond 
the  grave;  and  this  I  do  without  any  equivocation  or  mental  reser- 
vation in  any  manner,  matter  or  form  whatsoever. 

So  may  it  be.  ,      i     ,-     , 

In  duplicate. 

QUINTUS  PRICE, 

''  CELSUS  PRICE, 

''  SYLVESTER  L.  NIEDLET. 

Q.  So, continued  Mr.  Osier,  Howard  did  not  enlighten  you  to  a  very 
great  extent  about  his  order.  He  did  not  tell  you  its  name,  he 
did  not  give  you  the  ritual,  he  did  not  give  you  the  obligation,  he  did 
Dot  tell  you  who  belonged  to  it,  and  he  did  not  tell  you  what  he 
was  doing.  All  you  knew  about  it  was  that  you  were  out  $5,000. 
But  how  was  all  the  money  you  gave  him  spent?    A.  In  furthering 

the  work. 

Q.  In  what  way?    A.  In  various  ways. 

Q.  Well,  tell  me  one  way?  A.  In  connection  with  the  institution 
at  Gunston.    It  was  an  institution  for  the  pursuit  of  philosophical 

studies. 

Q.  Philosophical  studies,  eh?     A.  Yes. 

Q.  Well,  just  tell  us  what  kind.  A.  The  studies  included  philos- 
ophy, history,  autliorship,  etc. 

Q.  I  should  think  that  "How  I  dropped  $5,000  at  Gunston"  would 
be  a  good  title  for  your  next  novel.    All  you  know  about  it  is  that 


r' 


i 


n 


no 

you  are  out  |5.000?  A.  Well,  I  wafi  perfectly  satisfied  with  the 
way  it  was  expended.    I  never  complained. 

Q.  No,  your  husband  made  the  money  and  Howard  spent  it. 

Mrs.  Morrey,  of  St.  Louis,  eldest  daughter  of  the  last  witness,  was 
the  next  witness,  corroborating  one  or  two  points  of  ber  mother's 
testimony. 

That  comi)lel('d  the  case  in  rebuttal.  The  defense  called  no  wit- 
nesses, counsel  for  plaintiff  being  willing  to  admit  that  the  plaintiff 
had  beon  present  in  court  at  all  the  sittings  during  this  trial,  and 
was  then  in  court. 


i»Ir.  B.  B.  <»Mloi-,  «|.  C,  A«l«lrei«^iiiiK  the  Jury, 


A  pin  could  be  heard  drop  in  the  court  when  Mr.  Osier,  Q.  C,  be- 
gan his  address  to  the  jury  on  behalf  of  the  defense.  The  learned 
counsel  wasted  no  time  on  preliminary  remarks. 

Mr.  Osier,  having  read  tlie  article  complained  of  to  the  jury,  said: 
The  plain  and  simple  matter  is  for  you  to  say  whether  that  is  a 
libel  or  not.  A  libel  is  something  which  brings  a  man  unjustly  into 
discredit  with  his  neighbors,  something  which  is  untrue.  Here  is  a 
man  asking  large  damages  from  this  newspaper;  asking  you  to 
put  money  in  his  pocket,  and  he  dare  not  go  into  that  box  and  let  me 
ask  him  a  few  questions!  • 


the 


-as 


111 

He  is  right  hero  iu  court  at  this  momeut.  That  man  dare  not 
have  his  past  unearthed.  He  cannot  fence  himself  here  as  he  did 
■  in  the  examination  for  discovery  by  saying,  *'I  decline  to  answer 
that  question."    He  has  got  to  if  he  goes  into  that  box. 

There  he  sits  in  court  with  the  three  women,  his  wife,  Mrs.  Sprecht 
and  Mrs.  Alh'ii.  He  puts  tlie  women  forward  like  a  coward,  but 
dare  not  go  into  I  he  box  himself. 

Just  bring  your  own  broad  coiumon  sense  to  bear  on  tliis,  and 
you  will  see  wiiy  lu'  daren't  have*  the  leaves  of  his  past  life  over- 
turned. Four  years  after  it  liappened  he  comes  in  and  asks  you  to 
give  him  damages,  because  this  newspaper  published  a  dispatch 
from  Washington,  a  disjjatch  which  was  in  substance,  and  in  fact 
true.  Oh,  yes!  A  man  may  be  injured  by  a  newspaper  paragraph 
four  years  after  its  publication;  but  let  him  come  to  the  jury  and 
show  the  wound.  Le't  us  see  if  he  has  got  any  character  to  be  taken 
away.  Especially  is  that  due  to  a  man  who  is  placed  by  the  evi- 
dence in  the  position  that  this  m  a  is.  That  man  is  unable  to  get 
up  in  the  box  and  say  that  what  is  said  of  him  is  untrue.  If  noth- 
ing is  said  about  a  man  there  is  nothing  to  answer;  but  we  are  here 
boldly  saying  that  this  article  is  true.  He  keeps  away  because  he 
wants  to  keep  away  from  the  truth.  Now,  gentlemen,  I  don't  care 
whether  this  warrant  was  properly  issued  or  not,  according  to  the 
laws  of  the  State  of  Virginia. 

DID  HE  FLEE? 


.1'  II 


Was  thei'e  one  issued,  and  did  he  fllee?  There  was,  we  claim,  a 
warrant,  and  I  ask  you  to  say  that  he  tied.  Why?  This  man  had  a 
property  at  Gunston  Hall — if  you  believe  it — worth  four  thousand 
dollars,  and  there  was  Cisco,  the  yellow  dog.  He  had  all  the  lux- 
uries of  his  trade,  and  he  left  them  all  behind;  left  for  the  north,  for 
a  land  where  there  was  no  warrant.  Why  did  he  leave  his  prop- 
erty? 

Why  did  he  never  go  back?  Was  it  because  he  was  wanted  as 
a  witness  to  prove  Mrs.  Specht's  insanity;  or  if  he  had  to  flee  be- 
cause of  the  danger  that  he  would  have  to  prove  her  insane;  what 
were  his  dealings  with  .the  woman?  Take  either  horn  of  the 
dilemma.  He  tied  to  Canada  either  to  avoid  giving  evidence  or  to 
evade  arrest,  and  in  Canada  he  has  remained  ever  since.  The  win- 
ters may  be  cold  here  and  (lunston  may  be  warm,  but  he  prefers 
the  cold  north,  with  a  fur  overcoat,  to  Fairfax  county  gaol  I 

Did  you  ever  see  such  a  reckless  piece  of  litigation  as  this  attempt 
to  coin  a  bad  character  into  good  nmney?  It  is  a  long  way  to  come 
to  defend  an  action  of  this  character,  and  expensive  work.  He  says, 
''This  Montreal  Star  would  rather  pay  hundreds  of  dollars  to  me 
than  go  to  the  expense  of  defending  the  action."  But  no  man  is  fit 
to  publish  a  newspaper  who  isn't  willing  to  plough  out  his  furrow 
when  he  starts.  We  were  left  alone  for  four  years,  and  we  took  it 
up  where  we  let  it  otf.   We  were  determined,  as  honest  .journalists. 


'i';' 


iii     : 

m 
m 


U! 


112 


\'™ 


to  see  if  this  man  is  what  he  is  deBcribed  to  be.  That  was  what  he 
was  banking  on.  Yes;  some  people  would  pay  rather  than  come  up 
from  Montreal  to  Perth.  It  would  have  been  cheaper  to  have  paid 
a  few  hundred  dollars  than  to  do  what  the  proprietors  of  the  Mon- 
treal Star  have  done.  No  doubt  it  would  have  been  cheaper  to 
have  settled. 


hiu 
see 

1 


IS  HE  AN  HONEST  MAN? 


Now,  gentlemen,  what  is  he?  Is  he  an  honest  man,  getting  an 
honest  living,  or  is  he  a  man  with  strong  influence  and  whose  strong 
will  works  on  women  with  balderdash  about  mystery  and  occultism 
and  Indian  orders  and  philosophy?  What  philosophy  has  he  taught 
these  women?  They  don't  know  even  the  name  of  the  order.  You 
would  suppose  there  weren't  any  order,  he  has  got  them  so  com- 
pletely drilled  and  under  hia  control.  They  have  got  to  say  what  he 
says.  But  look  at  this  letter  on  the  21st  of  August.  Evidently  some 
small  part  is  dictated  to  Mrs.  Specht.    This  is  what  he  writes: 

Of  course  you  know  that  I  should  be  most  deliglited  to  get  rid 
of  the  necessity  of  doing  anything  with  the  financial  part  of  the 
work,  but  there  is  no  one  else  here  who  can  relieve  me  of  the  duty; 
if  I  were  to  send  to  India  for  one  of  our  Order  of  the  Viasya  caste 
he  would  be  ignorant  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  this  people. 

Our  order  pledges  its  integrity  for  the  administration  to  the  just 
uses  of  all  funds  thay  may  be  subscribed  for  the  work  in  hand; 
this  work  can  only  be  conducted  by  myself,  as  I  am  the  only  one 
whom  the  council  can  control  for  the  higher  work;  to  me  has  been 
committed  this  trust.  The  work  must  be  done  according  to  their 
instructions,  if  done  at  all,  nor  are  they  willing  to  put  tlieir  affairs 
in  such  a  position  that  a  conflict  of  jurisdiction  can  be  ever  possible. 
Do  you  comprehend  the  possibility  indicated?  From  what  you  said 
he  is  under  the  impression  that  the  money  Mrs.  Specht  has  prom- 
ised to  our  Order  is  given  on  his  account,  because  he  is  taking  it 
up;  this,  you  know,  is  not  the  case,  because  we  were  promised,  say 
f  10,000,  before  anything  of  the  kind  was  contemplated;  the  rest  you 
know,  but  I  want  you  to  put  yourself  right  in  this,  because  it  would 
seem  as  though  we  were  selling  our  membership  for  money,  which 
we  will  not  do.  Joseph  is  not  a  member  of  the  Order  and  it  will 
take  a  different  disposition  on  his  part  before  he  can  ever  be  one 
of  us. 


NOT  LIKE  FREEMASONS. 


This  order  is  not  like  the  Odd  Fellows  or  Freemasons,  where  a 
man  can  gain  admittance  on  the  payment  of  a  certain  fee.  All  the 
money  in  the  world  will  never  advance  a  man  an  eyelash  length 
beyond  his  spiritual  merit.    I  suppose  you  are  aware  of  this  in  part. 

And  again  you  bring  around  your  son  the  elemental  of  the 
woiidly  life  he  has  to  forget  before  he  can  ever  be  what  you  hope  for 


113 


him.     It  is  lor  llie  yootl  of  all  coiu-eiued  that  1  spi'iik,  for  I  wish  to 
soe  him  succeed  in  whiit  he  has  undeitalien. 

Now  1  hope  you  will  understand  nie.     1  speak  in  all  kindness  as 
one  who  would  do  you  good,  hut  you  must  remember  that  not  even 
you,  nmeli  as  we  love  you.  can  be  passed  by  unreproved  when  you 
r  am  faithfully  vours, 


err 


Ci.  S.  110 WARD. 


\ye  are  not  sayin;;  iji  our  article  that  these  tilings  are  true.  But 
can't  you  see  that  this  man  has  broken  ui)  this  home,  has  come 
between  this  husband  and  wife?  She  conies  here  and  tells  you  thai 
her  husband  was  a  dissipated  man  and  her  sou  a  tliie'f.  That 
woman  is  far  gone,  so  far  under  the  inliuence  of  a  bad  man,  that 
she  is  willing  for  that  man  to  besmirch  the  name  of  lier  husband  and 
her  son,  who  is  now  ;i  clergyman.  That  son  has  a  character, 
because  he  cannot  get  admitted  lo  orders  unless  he  has.  And  look 
at  the  husband.  He  sends  her  down,  in  18!J5.  boxes  of  fruit  and 
flowers,  and  turkeys,  etc..  and  she  thanks  him  for  his  thoughtful- 
ness  and  writes  a  letter,  in  elVect.  saying  she  has  no  comi)laint  to 
make  against  him,  but  wanting  him  to  live  up  to  this  new  dispen- 
sation, this  Howard  ])]iilosoj)hy,  this  Indian  religion,  this  mockery 
of  all  that  is  sacred  and  I'iglit.  I  ask  you  to  believe  the  husband 
and  son.  SIi(%  the  wife  of  twenty-nine  years,  says  to  him,  I  cannot 
live  witli  you.  I  am  committing  adultery  with  you;  ])ressing  him  to 
join  the  ordei-,  so  that  Howard  may  get  the  money  he  had  made  out 
of  his  pocket. 


1 


:    'i 
If 


DAREN'T  GIVE  EVIDENCE. 


Yes;  that  is  the  man  who  has  asked  you  twelve  men  to  give  him 
damages  and  he  sits  over  there  (pointing  to  Howard)  and  daren't 
come  here  (j.ointing  to  the  witness  box).  Why  is  that  box  empty? 
Why  is  that  seat  full?  Because  if  he  faces  cross-examination  he 
has  got  to  show  that  the  Star's  article  was  all  wrong,  because  it 
was  not  strong  enough;  that  we  wrote  with  such  moderation  that 
his  wisest  plan  was  not  to  compromise  himself  here.  He  is  a 
deceiver  of  women  with  his  mysteries  and  nonsense  and  balder- 
dash. He  extracts  money.  For  what  purpose?  Howard's  pocket! 
Now.  gentlemen,  let  his  counsel  say  what  he  will,  you  might  think 
when  bis  counsel  has  spoken  that  five  minutes  from  the  man  himself 
in  the  witness  box  would  have  been  better.  Need  I  detain  yon  fur 
ther.  You  have  heard  the  witnesses,  the  women  in  the  box;  all 
emotional  women;  women  of  a  class  likely  to  be  imposed  upon. 
Take  the  broad  fact  that  there  is  a  desolate  hearth  in  the  Specht 
family,  where  the  woman  who  lived  in  happiness  for  twenty-nine 
years  should  be,  and  taking  care  of  the  evening  of  her  husband's 
life,  taking  care  of  the  man  whom  she  took  for  better  or  for  worse, 
for  richer  or  poorer,  according  to  her  mariage  vows.  The  hearth 
is  desolate,  the  woman,  the  head  of  the  happy  home,  is  here,  board- 


114 

injj;  at  an  hotel,  living  in  this  man's  house.    Picture  What  was; 
pictiM'e  what  is,  and  you  can  only  come  to  one  conclusion. 

ADDKESS  OF  MR.  LATCHFOKD,  COUNSEL  FOR  PLAINTIFF. 

Mr.  Latchford — May  it  please  the  court  and  gentlemen  of  the 
jury:  The  task  that  falls  on  my  shoulders  is  not  an  easy  one. 
Added  to  my  own  comi)ara(ive  inexperience  at  the  bar,  I  have  to 
follow,  not  only  the  ablest  advocate  perhaps  in  Canada,  but  one  of 
the  very  ablest  on  this  continent,  a  man  who  has  the  reputation 
that  it  is  almost  suiricient  to  have  him  against  a  prisoner  to  have 
him  condemned,  and  sutticient  if  he  is  in  his  favor  to  have  the  ac- 
cused go  free.  I  have  to  follow  one  of  the  ablest  and  most  eloquent 
advocales  that  could  address  a  jury. 

As  the  evidence  has  shown  the  matter  is,  after  all,  a  comparative- 
ly simple  one.  My  learned  friend  has  made  mudi  of  the  fact  that 
the  plaintitr  in  this  case  did  not  go  into  the  witness  box.  That  is 
his  privilege  if  he  chooses  not  to  go;  if  he  feels  that  the  charges 
made  against  him  have  been  sufficiently  answered  he  may  decide, 
as  he  did,  not  to  go  into  the  box.  In  so  far  as  his  relations  with  the 
Specht  family  are  concerned,  you  have  heard  the  evidence  taken 
in  the  city  of  Washington  and  you  have  heard  on  the  other  side 
those  ladies  who  were  so  slanderously  assailed  in  some  of  these 
depositions.  We  have  placed  Mrs.  Allen  in  the  box,  who  has  been 
attacked  in  the  vilest  manner  in  these  depositions.  You  have  heard 
her  most  complete  denial  of  the  statements  attributed  to  her.  I  ask 
which  are  you  going  to  believe?  Do  you  doubt  the  statement  made 
by  that  lady?  Then,  if  you  believe  her,  as  I  think  you  must,  you 
must  discredit  the  man  who,  after  not  twenty-nine  years  of  happy 
life,  but  a  great  many  years  of  constant  difficulties  with  his  wife, 
has  now  driven  her  to  seek  a  refuge  here.  She  tells  you  that  when 
her  children  were  infants  in  arms  she  was  obliged  to  flee  from  him. 
When  he  met  with  business  reverses  she  came  back  to  him  like  a 
good  wife;  she  worked  on,  helping  him  to  write  his  advertisements 
in  St,  Louis.  My  friend  made  a  great  deal  of  fun  of  this  and  enter- 
tained you  hugely  with  his  description  of  Eastern  philososphy. 

WISDOM  FROM  THE  EAST. 


Our  wisdom  comes  from  the  East.  Not  merely  men  and  women 
in  ordinary  walks  of  life,  but  learned  professors  of  universities  have 
been  devoting  themselves  to  the  study  of  the  system  which  seeks 
to  explain  many  of  the  mysteries  of  the  life  with  which  we  are  sur- 
rounded. These  people  were  all  interested.  Mrs.  Specht  had  been 
for  years,  and  Mrs.  Allen,  and  they  met  there.  Mrs.  Specht  was 
accustomed  to  doing  good  on  a  large  scale.  She  spent  |2,500  in  es- 
tablishing an  Order  of  Deaconesses.  The  work  that  Howard  was 
carrying  on  was  seen  by  Specht  daily  until  1803,  and  he  hadn't  a 
word  of  objection.     In  all  that  time  did  he  make  any  charge  that 


115 


that  15,000  had  boon  obtaiiuHl  by  fraud?  Then  Spcclit  d^-siicH  to 
obtain  possession  of  his  wife's  properly  and  all  this  troubU?  bc^'ins. 
And  she  declines  to  j,nve  uj)  her  es.ale  to  her  liiisband.  and  he  starts 
proceedings  in  lunacy  aj-uinst  her.  It  is  said  that  Howard  came  to 
Canada  bocaiise  a  warrant  was  issued  against  him.  They  could 
have  got  this  nuui  in  the  United  States  if  tliey  wanted  him.  The 
detective  swears  in. the  nmst  positive  way  that  extradition  proceed- 
ings were  begun.  Mr.  Specht  says  they  contemplated  such  pro- 
ceedings. There  is  no  evidence  that  Howard  had  cotnmitted  fraud, 
and  nothing  was  done  toward  securing  his  extradition.  If  the  arti- 
cle in  the  Star  were  true  and  you  should  iind  it  blatneless  in  other 
respects,  it  is  wrong  in  that.  You  must  find,  if  you  tind  for  the  de- 
fendants, that  every  material  i)art  of  the  article  is  true.  We  do 
not  ask  for  any  heavy  damages;  they  should  be  proportioned  to  the 
wrong  done  the  plaintiff. 


THE  CHARGE  TO  THE  JIRY. 


I 
i 

I  ■■!(' 


fiS 


'I 

Hi 

n 


II' 


'II 


Is;!" 


Legal   Points   Carefully   Reviewed. 


JUDGE  MEREDITH  SCORES  HOWARD  FOR  NOT  EN- 
TERING THE  WITNESS  BOX. 


The  New  Doctrina— A  Mere  Scheme  for  Getting  Money  from 
Credulous  People— Wretched,  Unhappy  Lives  and  Broken 
Homes— The  Journalist's  Duty. 


iliiis 


(■■V  \\\\•^^v^\\\^,^\\mf}' 


wmm 


HiN   I.ordMhip.  Nir  William    Ylercditit,   Chief  .liiMtictt  ol  Ontario, 
hel'ore  nitoin  tiie  Case  was  Tri«Mi. 


1! 
'A 


The  Chief  Justice — (Teuliemen  of  the  jiii'.v:  Anyone  who  prints 
and  pnblislies  of  anotlier  defiunalory  words,  words  that  are  calcu- 
lated to  brinji'  into  odium  oi-  injure  another,  must,  unless  he  can  ex- 
cuse or  justify  them,  answer  in  damages  to  tlie  person  injured.  Nor 
is  it  necessary  that  tlie  plaintili"  should  show  that  the  words  he 
complains  of  iire  unti'ue.  All  he  has  to  do  is  to  prove  that  these 
words  were  ])ublished  by  the  person  he  is  suing',  and  if,  in  the  opin- 
ion of  the  jury  and  of  tlie  judge,  they  are  susceptible  of  a  defama- 
tory meaning,  the  resj)onsibilily  is  cast  on  the  defendant  to  justify 
the  publication.  Now  that  is  the  law  with  regard  to  what  is  a  libel; 
but  it  is  for  you  to  determine  whether  the  paragraph  complained 
of  is  libelous  or  not.     Differing  from  other  branches  of  the  law,  in 

116 


117 


a  case  of  libel,  the  jury  is  the  judge  of  tlie  law  and  of  the  fact.  It 
is  for  you  to  decide  whether  the  paragraph  is  libelous.  Now  the 
plaiutiti"  has  chosen  uot  to  set  out  as  a  libel  the  whole  article  or 
paragraph.  But  it  has  been  broken  up  into  three  parts,  each  of 
which  is  nuide  a  cause  of  action. 

The  first  is  so  much  of  the  publication  as  is  contained  in  these 
words: 

"Dr.  Howard,  hypnoiist,  said  lo  be  in  Mom  real  at  present,  lie 
is  wanted  in  the  neighltoiiug  republic  for  alleged  frauds  on  one  of 
his  victims." 

That,  the  plaiutiH"  says,  is  defamatory  of  him.  The  defense,  bt'- 
sides  formal  denial  of  the  publication  justifying  the  statement,  they 
say  for  certain  reasons  stared  in  the  pleadings  that  the  statement 
is  true  in  substance  and  in  fact. 

The  next  complaint  which  tiie  plaint  ill"  makes  is  directed  to  so 
much  of  the  publication  as  is  contained  in  these  words: 

"Unless  some  hitch  occurs  in  securing  his  extradition,  Dr.  (Jranby 
S.  Howard,  who  is  alleged  to  have  swindled  Mrs.  Joseph  H.  Specht, 
of  Gunston  Hall,  Va.,  wife  of  a  wealthy  St.  Louis  clothing  dcniler, 
out  of  15,000,  will  soon  be  lodged  behind  the  bars  of  Fairfax  county 
jail.  Tlie  Common.wealth  Attorney  of  that  county  has  been  in- 
formed that  Howard  is  in  Montreal,  and  is  now  in  communication 
with  the  police  authorities  of  that  city  with  a  view  of  his  detention 
until  government  ofificials  can  secure  the  co-operation  of  the  State 
Department  in  securing  extradition.  Negotiations  to  that  end  are 
now  in  progress,  and  the  Fairfax  authorities  are  confident  that 
Howard  will  be  brought  to  trial." 

What  the  defendants  say  with  regard  to  t'nat  which  justifies  the 
statement  is  that  prior  to  the  14th  of  May,  1894,  the  plaintiff  re- 
sided in  Fairfax  county,  Va.,  with  Mr.  Specht  and  his  wife;  that 
plaintiff  acquired  great  influence  over  Mrs.  Specht,  and  that  Mr. 
Joseph  Specht  charged  the  plaintiff  with  having  obtained  from  his 
wife  |5,000  among  other  things,  and  that  a  warrant  was  duly  issued. 

Then  the  third  complaint  is  of  the  words: 

"They  forced  him  to  flee  for  fear  of  arrest." 

With  regard  to  that  the  defendants  set  out  the  same  matters 
which  I  have  already  read  to  you,  and  then  say  that  these  are  what 
forced  him  to  flee  for  fear  of  arrest. 


1 1 


THE  JUSTIFICATION  PLEA. 


It  is  true  that  when  a  defendant  undertakes  to  justify  an  alleged 
libel  that  he  is  bound  to  justify  the  whole  artich^;  but  with  this 
qualification  it  is  not  every  minute,  unimportant  detail  that  must 
be  justified.  If  the  material  facts,  if  the  substance  "of  the  charge 
is  made  out,  then  the  plea  of  justification  is  established.  There  is 
a  conflict  of  testimony  here  between  the  father  and  the  son  as  sup- 
ported, if  you  believe  the  testimony  by  other  witnesses  examined 
on  the  commission,  and  the  wife,  Mrs.  Allen,  and  the  daughter. 


118 


\»i 


I 


11 


,1^ 


Now,  before  dealing  with  the  question  of  the  evidence,  if  incidentally 
it  has  been  made  out  to  your  satisfaction  that  the  plaintiff  has  been 
guilty  of  an  offense  against  the  criminal  law,  that  the  article  would 
have  been  justified  if  it  had  said,  not  that  he  was  accused,  but  that 
he  was  guilty,  although  the  statement  was  that  he  was  accused, 
it  would  follow  that  he  was  worthy  of  the  more  serious  accusation 
he  must  be  deserving  of  the  lesser  one,  so  far  as  that  is  true.     Now, 
the  evidence  has  gone  to  the  extent  of  endeavoring  to  support  this 
charge  of  fraud.     According  to  the  testimony  of  Mr.  Specht  and  his 
son,  the  Spechts  had  been  married  since  1868,  and  they  lived  hap- 
pily until  this  plaintiff  came  to  St.  Louis  in  1891.     Then  his  wife, 
who  had  been  interested  in  philosophic  matters,  seemed  to  take  au 
interest  in  some  doctrines  that  Howard  was  or  professed  to  be  ex- 
perienced of.    That  he  himself  was  imposed  upon  by  him;  that  he 
seemed  honest  and  would  impress  people  favorably  on  first  acquaint- 
ance.   As  the  result  of  all  this  his  wife,  with  his  consent,  was  desir- 
ous of  assisting  Howard's  objects,  and  to  that  end  he  furnished 
$5,000.    Other  sums  and  jewels  were  given  by  his  wife.     He  at- 
tended some  rites  and  ceremonies  gone  through  in  connection  with 
this  religion  or  philosophy  in  the  neighborhood,  and  has  described 
what  it  was.     He  says  that  his  suspicions  became  aroused.     He 
remonstrated  with  his  wife  for  some  time,  and  that  finally  it  led 
to  his  telling  his  wife  that  she  must  choose  between  him  and  fol- 
lowing the  plaintiff  as  her  leader  and  apostle;  and  that  he  also, 
about  the  same  time,  intimated- to  the  plaintiff  that  he  had  been 
defrauded  or  that  his  wife  had  been,  and  that  he  intended  to  prose- 
cute liira  criminally.     That  is  the  statement  that  substantially  Mr. 
Specht  makes.     His  wife  goes  into  the  box,  and  her  evidence  would 
lead  you  to  believe  that  she  and  her  husband  had  not  been  getting 
on  well;  that  he  was  not  an  unbeliever,  but  as  much  a  believer  as 
she  was,  and  that  tlie  money  was  given  at  his  suggestion.      She 
makes  the  troubles  attributable  to  tl;e  desire  of  the  husband   to 
acquire  her  property.     The  husband  has  told  us  that  he  did  en- 
deavor to  get  out  lunacy  proceedings.     He  says  the  object  was  to 
separate  her  from  Howard.     Now.  Ihe  wife,  as  I  am  pointing  out, 
says  this  was  not  true.     "All  this  wns  a  desire  on  the  part  of  ray 
husband  to  get  my  property." 


WHERE  THE  TRUTH  LIES. 


Very  often  we  can  find  Fomethiug  which  comes  from  the  hand  of 
one  of  the  i)arties  which  will  tell  ns  wliere  the  truth  lies,  whether 
in  this  case  the  wife  under  influence  has  maligned  her  husband.  The 
defense  rely  upon  a  letter  written  November  80,  181);"),  after  Howard 
had  come  to  Canada,  to  show  whether  all  these  dilficulties  were  due 
to  the  husband's  pressure  ui)on  tlu^  wife  to  give  him  the  property. 

This  is  what  Mrs.  Specht  wiites: 

Washington,  11,  :iO,  '95. 

My  Dear  Joseph — The  box  containing  the  turkey  and  other  good 
things  came  to  hand  Wednesday  evening,  and  IMiss  Hemstreet  and  T 


pom 


119 


have  enjoyed  them  ever  since.  Tlie  llowers,  pinks,  roses,  chrysan- 
themums, all  lovely,  arrived  Thursday,  just  as  we  were  lamenting 
that  she  had  forgotten  to  have  a  few  flowers  for  Sallie,  the  house- 
keeper's wedding.  She  was  married  and  left  the  same  day.  I 
will  proceed  now  to  try  and  explain  to  you,  in  an  unbiased  man- 
ner and  with  no  thought  in  my  mind  or  feeling  in  my  heart  but 
that  of  truth  and  kindliness,  entirely  free  from  all  judgment  or 
malice.  Let  us  put  aside  the  question  of  religious  ditfurences  for 
V.  moment  altogether  and  look  at  this  matter  in  a  clear  light. 
You  know  no  human  being  can  be  the  sole  controller  and  ar- 
biter of  another  one's  inclinations  and  tendencies.  A  woman  is 
bound  to  cherish  her  own  individuality  sacredly,  uiarried  or  not 
married.  Now,  you  cannot  imagine  for  one  moment  that  if  I  was 
really  the  modern  church  woman  you  would  wish  me  to  be. 

"The  modern  church  woman  you  would  wish  me  to  be."  Does 
that  point  to  her  husband  desiring  to  get  her  property  or  that  his 
story  is  true,  that  he  desired  her  to  give  up  her  evil  influence  and 
live  an  ordinary  life? 

Now,  you  cannot  imagine  that  if  I  was  really  the  modern  church 
woman  you  would  wish  me  to  be  that  any  obscure  country  oi-  city 
life  could  ever  satisfy  my  ambition  to  work  out  what  I  would  think 
my  proper  destiny?  I  would  belong  to  literary  clubs,  go  into  tirst- 
class  society,  spend  money  lavishly  on  charity,  etc.  All  my  life  I 
have  secretly  cherished  the  ambition  to  build  some  great  institution 
to  benefit  man,  so  that  I  would  have  not  lived  in  vain. 

A  woman  of  my  active  temperament  would  never  be  content  with 
a  purely  domestic  life.  It  is  possible  that  in  spite  of  our  long  mar- 
ried life  we  have  not  come  into  such  close  relationshii)  that  you 
could  fully  understand  my  longings,  aims  and  ambitions  of  the  i)ast 
years.  I  hope  you  will  believe  me  when  I  say  that  I  have  no  other 
motive  in  writing  you  all  this,  save  to  prove  my  view  of  existing 
conditions,  tiiat  T  do  not  blame  you  for  anything. 


THE  PLAIN  ENGLISH. 


"1  do  not  blame  you  for  anything."  What  do(^s  that  mean?  Tlie 
wife,  when  asked  for  an  explanation,  says  it  was  Christian  forgive- 
ness. Does  it  mean  what  the  plain  English  indicates,  or  is  it  what 
she  now  suggests? 

The  agony  the  mere  thought  of  separating  from  you  caused  me 
was  so  great  that  it  threw  nu^  upon  a  bed  of  suffering,  when  I  al- 
most lost  my  life.  I  had  no  opportunity  to  show  yon.  by  indulging 
you  in  material  luxuries,  how  I  agonized  over  what  has  been  the 
long,  deep-rooted  growth  of  years,  nor  will  you  ever  know.  This 
matter  of  our  life-long  companionship  cannot  be  lightly  broken,  you 
well  know;  but  even  this  cannot  change  what  is  irrevocable,  viz..  the 
conditions  of  our  minds  and  what  has  also  been  tlui  growth  of  years 
in  our  characters.  I  saw  myself  in  the  spirit  at  home  trying  very 
hard  for  hours  to  light  our  cooking  stove  fii-e.     :Matches  and  \rA\)er 


ILM) 


would  lij;iit  jnid  inviiriahl.y  die  our,  without  being  abh'  to  ignitr  the 
fine  kindling  wood.  You  came  and  tried,  )h,  so  hard,  to  dv  liie 
same  in  vain.  We  both  tried  to  relight  our  heart!)  tire.  It  was 
impossible.  Our  home  tire  had  turned  to  dead  ashes,  and  neithrr 
you  nor  I,  nor  both  together,  could  relight  it.  The  colored  ser\;int 
lit  it  easily  and  cooked  dinner  on  it.  That  set  me  to  thinking.  Liv- 
ing in  such  constant  companionship,  with  me,  bound  as  I  was  to  he 
to  an  idle  life,  unable  to  carry  out  any  special  plans  of  my  own.  our 
aims  and  lives  would  have  grown  wider  and  wider  a})art,  when  in- 
numerable misunderstandings  would  have  been  the  result.  Two 
remedies  alone  would  have  healed  the  constant  breaches  betwet^n 
us.  Had  you  humbled  yon"self  to  the  dust  and  served  (Jod  with 
all  your  heart,  devoting  all  your  energies,  powers  and  money  to 
Christ's  cause,  living  just  as  he  taught,  a  pure,  self-sacriticing  life, 
and  I  Joined  heart  and  soul  with  you;  or,  secondly,  had  you  joined 
lieart  and  soul  with  me  in  living  as  the  aspirer  of  that  which  is 
holiest,  highest  and  best  in  man  and  woman,  been  a  sincere  trutii- 
seeker  under  the  new  dispensation,  we  would  have  both  loved  (,'aili 
other  so  j)urely  and  grown  into  each  other  as  one,  as  man  and  wife 
should. 

"Tuder  the  new  dispensation."  What  does  that  mean?  Is  it 
not  the  fair  inference  that  she  asked  that  he  would  abandon  all  iiis 
past  ideas,  become  a  follower  of  the  new  dispensation  and  join  wiih 
her?  The  answer  to-day  is  that  she  asked  that  he  would  give  up 
drink.  Does  that  look  like  the  way  she.  an  intelligent  woman, 
would  have  chosen  to  exi)re?.s  the  idea  of  abandoning  a  l)ad  habit, 
or  is  it  not  plainly  the  expression  of  a  wish  that  he  should  join  tliis 
new  religion,  this  new  dispensation?     It  is  for  you  to  say. 


THE  HKJHER  TRUTHS. 


"^'ou  ask  me  to  forget  what  I  know  of  that  which  has  become  [lart 
oi'  myself.  These  higher  truths  have  become  so  ingraintvl  into  my. 
being  t'  at  not  even  death  will  disperse  them;  but  even  if  I  wei-e 
perfectly  willing  and  anxious  to  recant  and  honestly  desired  to 
{^bide  by  what  3'ou  demand  and  desiie,  there  are  absolutely  no  jtosi- 
tive  means  in  my  power  to  convince  you  for  good,  all  and  forevei', 
that  i  was  entirely  free  and  uninfluenced  f(n-ever  from  that  whirli 
antagonizes  you. 

"'That  which  antagonizes  you."  What  does  that  mean?  Do  these 
words  j)oint  to  what  the  husband  says  is  the  trutli.  that  h"  was  ask- 
ing her  to  come  back  to  him.  or  to  what  .she  now  suggests  was  the 
real  difTicul ty? 

Can  you  not  see  that  there  is  a  law  here  over  which  neither  you 
nor  I  have  full  control?  Which  places  us  in  the  most  pitiabh^ 
plight.  Shakespeare  says:  "Trifles  light  as  air  are  proofs  as  strong 
as  holy  writ,"  to  confirm  suspicion.  Some  innocent  action  or  word 
of  mine,  a  chance  newspaper  paragraph,  indexed,  hundreds  of  irrele- 
vant things,  might  arouse  that  which  glows  as  an  nnextingnishable 


SF 


121 

fire  within  you.  On  the  other  hand,  what  guarantee  could  I  have, 
if  I  obeyed  your  will  in  this  matter,  that  you  fully  trusted  and  be- 
lieved me,  or  that  you  had  changed  your  views  of  me?  I  am  fully 
convinced  that  whether  I  d©  as  you  wish  me  to  do  or  still  pursue  the 
course  I  have  iruirked  out  for  myself,  that  all  attempts  on  our  part  to 
live  the  peaceful  life  God  intends  us  to  do  by  any  reconciliation  on 
our  part  will  be  futile  and  useless. 

Matters  must  now,  I  am  sad  to  say,  with  a  heart  forever  broken, 
pursue  tiie  course  inevitable  under  such  unhappy  and  unfortunate 
conditions.  As  I  understood  you  when  you  came  to  see  me  in  Oc- 
tober, it  was  your  wish  and  mine.  So  let  it  bel  The  uprootiug  of 
that  which  it  took  twenty-eight,  nay  twenty-nine,  years  to  plant 
and  succor  cannot  be  done  in  a  short  time. 

The  attorney  for  me  has  been  in  court  all  week.  He  says  to  please 
tell  you  it  will  be  totally  impossible  to  have  any  meeting  next  week, 
but  week  after  next  he  can  attend  to  it. 

I  know  you  will  coincide  with  me  in  this  matter,  perfectly  satis- 
fied that  our  unhapi)y  life  lived  in  companionship  would  be  far 
worse  tlian  separation.  It  is  inevitable!  I  shall  be  glad  to  see  you 
any  time  you  may  come  to  see  me  while  matters  are  pending  be- 
tween us.  Let  us  hope  the  agony  may  all  soon  be  over  for  us  both. 
Your  loving  EMMA. 


WHY  THIS  SACRIFICE? 

Now,  gentlemen,  what  have  you  to  say  of  this?  The  defense 
points  to  the  fact  that  Mrs.  Specht  was  living  in  luxury;  that  she 
had  a  wealthy  husband,  apparently  devoted  to  her.  All  this  is 
abandoned  and  a  woman  who  moved  in  the  best  society  of  St.  Louis, 
a  city,  as  I  suppose  you  know,  of  half  a  million  of  inhabitants,  aban- 
dons her  home  and  comes  to  a  small  town  in  Canada,  takes  her  meals 
at  a  hotel  and  lives  at  the  house  in  which  this  i)laintiff  lives.  One 
has  heard  of  sacrifices  before,  but  the  defense  says,  "For  what  has 
this  woman  sacrificed  all  this?"  Of  all  the  witnesses,  has  one  been 
able  to  tell  yon,  the  defense  say,  even  the  name  of  the  order  to  which 
they  have  given  up  their  money  and  the  control  of  their  consciences 
to  some  extent?  Has  any  one  of  them  been  able  to  tell  yon  one  of 
its  doctrines  or  objects?  And  then  the  defense  say,  "Where  is  the 
man  who  is  coming  into  court  and  who  knows  all  this?  Why  is  he 
not  in  the  witness  box?  Why  has  he  not  been  anxious  to  divulge 
all  that  is  necessary  to  show  that  this  is  not  a  mockery,  a  fraud, 
taking  the  name  of  the  Most  High  God  in  vain?"  Of  course  he  was 
not  bound  to  go  into  the  box;  but  you  may  ask  yourselves  whether 
in  this  case,  a  plaintiff  seeking  damages,  ought  not  to  have  gone 
into  the  box  and  explained  some  of  the  matters  that  may  remain 
in  doubt.  As  the  defense  suggest,  here  is  a  woman  who  has  given 
up  all  these  things  and  has  got  nothing  in  return,  not  even  an  aspira- 
tion, not  a  single  new  hope.  The  conclusion  ought  to  be.  they  sny, 
that  the  woman  has  been  influence<l  by  somebody  to  do  what  she 


122 

has  done.  It  is  for  you  to  say  whether  all  this  philosophy,  all  tliis 
mystery,  was  a  mere  scheme  for  getting  money  from  credulous  peo- 
ple, whose  minds  perhaps  were  open  to  the  seed  sown,  whom  a  wily 
man  could  influence  with  the  result  of  these  wretched,  unhappy 
lives  and  broken  homes. 

Mrs.  Allen  says  you  ought  not  to  believe  Specht,  because  she  con- 
tradicts his  statement  that  she  went  to  Howard  and  wanted  to  live 
with  him  as  his  wife.  He  does  not  say  that  she  has  come  to  Howard 
and  wanted  to  live  with  him  as  his  wife.  He  says  his  wife  told  him 
that.     It  is  a  question  which  is  telling  the  truth. 

What  kind  of  a  doctrine  is  this,  the  defense  says,  which  takes  a 
woman  away  from  her  husband?  Against  his  protest  she  quits 
him  to  follow  the  apostle  of  this  new  doctrine.  There  must  be 
something  wrong  about  it,  according  to  tlie  defendant. 

Mrs.  Morrey's  evidence  goes  to  support  her  mother  in  what  is  not 
contradicted. 

THE  JOURNALIST'S  DI  TY. 


Now,  a  journalist  has  a  duty  to  perform  in  the  community.  If 
he  prostitutes  his  columns  to  the  fishing  in  every  dirty  pool  for 
scandal,  he  deserves  no  sympathy,  and  when  a  jury  found  him  pub- 
lishing that,  if  it  was  libelous,  public  interest  would  be  best  served 
by  stamping  out  that  sort  of  thing.  A  journalist  has  no  privilege, 
however  worthy  his  motive.  If  the  defendants  have  not  satisfied 
you  that  their  statements  are  justified,  the  plaintiff  is  entitled  to 
recover.  The  questions  for  you  to  decide  are,  first,  "Is  the  state- 
ment libelous  or  not?"  and,  second,  if  so,  *'Have  they  fully  justified 
what  they  have  pnj^lished?"  The  money  paid  is  to  compensate  the 
injury  he  has  suffered.  You  may  take  a  great  manj'  things  into 
consideration.  If  you  were  satisfied  that  this  plaintiff  otbjiined  this 
money  that  he  might  live  upon  it  by  inducing  women,  or  men  either, 
to  come  under  his  influence,  hypnotic  oi*  wliatever  it  miglit  be,  and 
that  he  was  making  use  of  the  pretense  that  it  was  all  in  the  name 
of  the  High  God,  all  part  of  some  ancient  Eastern  mystery,  that  it 
was  all  a  sham,  a  mockeiy  and  a  fraud,  yo\i  may  perhaps  say  that 
the  sentinel  that  stood  at  the  door,  if  lie  struck  him  hard  enough, 
even  if  the  blow  was  unlawful,  might  be  excused.  No  man  can  cal- 
culate the  harm  such  a  man  might  do  in  this  community.  If  such 
a  man  as  he  is  alleged  to  be  had  come  into  this  country,  one  would 
feel  sympathy,  at  all  events,  with  the  sentinel  wlio  warned  people 
against  him. 

The  third  charge — the  allegation  that  he  fled  the  country.  Mr. 
Specht  said  that  he  warned  the  plaintiff  that  lie  intended  to  com- 
mence criminal  proceedings.  Tliey  went  to  Washington  on  May 
11.  He  left,  according  to  his  own  statement,  leaving  his  property 
behind.  He  left  and  went  to  New  York  and  New  Jersey  for  two 
we«ks  and  then  came  to  Montreal.  He  came  and  passed  a  portion 
of  the  time  under  the  name  of  Wilson,  What  was  all  this  for? 
The  defense  say  that  indicates  the  man  was  fleeing  the  country,  and 


this 
peo- 
wily 
appy 

con- 
D  live 
ward 

bim 


is  not 


123 

that  it  is  a  fair  inference  that  lie  was  tieeing  to  avoid  arrest.  As 
he  explains  it,  he  was  warned  by  tlie  attorney  of  Mrs.  Specht  that 
he  had  better  get  out  of  the  country.  Now  do  you  believe  that?  He 
has  not  gone  into  the  winess  box  to  be  examined  before  you.  His 
lawyer  has  not  called  him.     Which  do  you  believe? 

Now,  gentlemen  of  the  jury,  the  facts  are  entirely  for  you.  You 
may  think  that  I  have  a  view  of  tlie  facts,  and  I  have  a  right  to  have 
a  view,  but  I  do  not  want  to  inlluence  you.  It  is  an  important  mat- 
ter that  the  plaintiff  should  be  treated  fairly.  He  should  not  be 
found  guilty,  for  that  is  what  a  verdict  for  the  defendant  would 
amount  to  unless  the  evidence  warrants  it.  But  if  it  does,  it  is 
equally  your  duty  to  pass  on  it.  Is  this  article  a  libel  in  whole  or 
in  any  part?  Have  the  defense  succeeded  in  proving  it  substan- 
tially true?     If  not,  what  are  the  damages? 

THE  VERDICT. 


The  jury  left  the  court  after  the  chief  justice  had  explained  that 
the  jurors  could  demand  any  of  the  papers  filed  in  the  case,  if  they 
required  any  of  them  to  assist  in  arriving  at  their  verdict. 

Most  of  the  spectators  remained  in  the  court,  but  Howard,  the 
plaintiff,  and  his  lady  friends  left  the  court  as  soon  as  his  lordship's 
charge  was  concluded.  After  an  absence  of  considerably  less  than 
five  minutes  the  jury  returned  into  court.  There  was  not  much 
excitement  over  the  verdict,  as  it  was  generally  expected  how  the 
case  would  go,  and  there  was  no  surprise  felt  wlien  the  foreman 
rose  in  his  place,  and,  in  response  to  the  usual  incpiiry  of  the  clerk 
of  the  court,  said:  "Verdict  for  the  defendant." 

The  chief  justice  briefly  thanked  the  jury  and  discharged  them. 

Mr.  Hogg,  Q.  C,,  at  once  asked  for  judgment  under  the  verdict 
just  given, 

"You  want  costs  against  the  plaintiff,  I  suppose,  Mr.  Hogg,"  re- 
marked Sir  William,  with  a  smile. 

"Yes,  may  it  please  your  lordslii}),"  replied  Mr.  Hogg. 

His  lordship  assented  and  left  the  bench. 

Some  of  the  exhibits  tiled  before  the  commission  were  very  inter- 
esting. A  few  of  them  follow,  the  first  being  a  letter  publish«'d  by 
Howard  in  one  of  the  St.  Louis  papers  at  the  time  he  was  lecturing 
out    there. 

HOWAUDS  FIUST  LETTER  TO  MRS.  SPECHT. 

A.  L.  GGOO,  S.  S.,  1)11  Roi,  88,  A.  1).  1887. 
Emma  H.  Specht : 

Gentle  Lady— Some  months  ago  a  letter  of  yours  was  forwarded 
to  me  by  one  of  my  beloved  pupils,  soliciting  an  answer  from  his 
master  to  a  question  propounded  therein.  T!ie  answer  has  been 
thus  long  delayed  awaiting  the  proper  time  to  find  in  your  soul  such 
a  condition  of  self-abnegation  that  would  cause  you  to  lieed  it. 


124 

From  the  Council  of  Hu'  Most  High  I  am  told  to  say,  "Do  it  not." 
And,  furthermore,  would  I  speak  with  you  touching  another  matter. 

Your  desire  to  publish  the  Hebrew  Kible  in  the  Hindoo  tongue 
does  much  credit  (o  your  I  ear(,  and  might  do  some  good;  but  not 
to  those  whom  you  fondly  hope  to  reach.  For  believe,  gentle  lady, 
our  (Jod  has  not  left  his  faithful  children  in  the  Orient  without  a 
light  and  most  enlightened  teachers. 

In  the  seclusion  of  I  heir  mountain  homes,  having  formed  from  ex- 
perience that  while  I  he  Si)irit  of  the  Father  is  all-prevailing  and 
everywhere  exists,  that  the  lunuan  soul,  distracted  by  the  things  of 
the  world,  cannot  or  does  not  require  that  the  caJmness  that  will 
enable  it  to  dwell  continually  under  the  glory  of  the  sanctuary, 
they  have  retired  to  the  purer  atmosphere  of  the  forest  and  the 
mountains  upon  the  goodness  and  majesty  of  the  Eternal  Father,  by 
which  means  they  do  accjuire  tiat  purity  and  exaltation  of  soul  in 
which  they  "walk  and  talk  with  (Jod,"  as  did  Adam  in  the  garden. 
You  might  place  the  Christian  Jiible  in  their  hands,  and  could  yo)i 
meet  them  you  would  find  brothers  and  sisters  in  the  Lord  who 
could  instruct  even  you,  as  did  tlie  good  Aquila  and  Priscilla  when 
they  "expounded  the  way  of  God  more  perfectly"  to  the  noble 
Appollos;  Acts  18:2G.  No,  dear  lady,  you  cannot  disturb  the  faith 
of  such  as  these;  nor  can  you  benefit  them  otherwise  than  in  the 
joy  that  one  child  of  God  feels  when  he  sees  another  one  trying  to 
do  something  that  will  honor  the  one  great  Father. 

ir>cattered  here  and  there  throughout  the  world  are  our  faithful 
ones,  gathering  up  precious  souls  for  the  Kingdom  of  God,  and  in- 
structing those  who  are  worthy  in  the  more  perfect  way.  We 
would  not  disturb  the  hope  of  a  single  Christian  soul,  but  would 
rather  strengthen  it  and  perfect  it  until  they  might  find  it  truly 
revealed  with  Christ  and  God;  nor  have  we  anything  contrary  to 
the  pure  teachings  of  Jesus  of  Nazareth.  Therefore,  gentle  lady,  I 
pray  you  do  not  deem  us  the  heathen  you  have  been  told,  but  rather 
esteem  us  friends  who  are  hiboring  for  the  glory  of  God,  our  Father 
In  the  Earth.  If  yon  desire  further  conference  with  me,  I  will  re- 
ceive your  communications  through  the  channel  of  Colonel  Price 
as  now.  And  now,  may  the  blessing  of  our  God  and  the  i»eace  and 
joy  of  His  Spirit  descend  upon  and  abide  in  your  soul  tnrough  the 
spirit  of  His  Son,  is  the  prayer  of  His  most  humble  servant, 

THE  SAGE  OF  ARU. 

Montreal.  11th  June,  1891. 

ANOTHER  LETTER. 


Mrs.  E.  E.  H.  Specht,  372^  Pine  street,  St.  Louis,  Mo.: 

My  Dear  Chela— Your  very  welcome  letter  came  to  hand  last 
evening.  I  presume  it  is  quite  unnecessary  for  me  to  assure  yon 
of  the  interest  with  which  I  had  been  looking  forward  to  its  receipt, 
knowing,  as  I  did  and  do,  that  there  will  not  be  a  stone  left  un- 
turned  to  overthrow  the  work  I  have  done  in  your  city.     My  letter 


125 

to  your  sou  was  u»(  iuteuded  by  any  means  to  be  a  tribtue  to  any 
one.  It  was  the  truth  as  I  saw  it,  and  my  desire  was  to  so  impress 
upon  the  mind  of  my  young  friend  that  he  might  not  be  misled  into 
taking  a  false  step  that  he  would  live  to  regret  all  the  rest  of  his 
life;  also  that  it  might  not  be  said  of  me  that  I  had  knowingly  al- 
lowed an  oj)portunity  to  pass  unimproved  to  sow  the  seed  of  peace 
and  good  will  among  men. 

You  know  the  watchers  are  always  on  the  lookout  for  tlie  failings 
of  those  who  have  named  the  Uigher  Name,  and  to  bring  charges 
against  the  very  chosen  sons  of  the  Most  High  Gods. 

I  am  sorry  you  gave  my  address  to  Col.  Moore.  It  was  my  in- 
structions for  you  to  receive  such  communications  yourself,  and  then 
forward  them  to  me,  and  I  would  send  my  rejUios  to  you  for  dis- 
tribution. This  is  what  the  ottice  of  secretary  of  our  order  means — 
it  saves  the  Master  from  contact  with  the  outer  world  and  enables 
you  to  maintain  your  position  of  superiority  as  my  confident  and 
friend.  When  Col.  Moore  writes  me,  which  I  hardly  expect  that 
he  ever  will,  for  his  interest  in  mo  being  mostly  curiosity,  I  will  be 
obliged  now  to  answer  him  direct  or  give  a  personal  ol'l'mse,  be- 
cause I  cannot  explain  to  him  that  he  is  nothing  to  me,  though  !ie 
were  a  thousand  times  a  thirty-third  degree  Mason,  for  be  it  known 
unto  you  that  the  least  one  of  my  little  class  in  St.  Louis  is  more 
precious  in  our  sight  than  the  wliole  fraternity,  my  children  in  the 
love  of  Crod,  precious  souls  born  into  tlie  Kingdom  of  the  Spirit  in 
the  fullness  of  time,  souls  for  which  I  am  responsible  in  the  sight 
of  the  Father.  Can  you  not  see  your  relationship  to  me  has  nothing 
in  common  with  the  exorteric  brotherhood  now  called  Masons? 

If  I  could  bear  you  continually  in  my  arms,  and  so  preserve  you 
from  the  evil  that  must  assuredly  come  upon  you,  how  thankful  I 
would  be  you  will  never  know,  for  it  is  only  those  to  whom  God  has 
committed  the  care  of  human  souls  that  can  know  the  love  for  such 
souls. 

You  must  not  think  I  am  finding  fault  with  what  you  did.  I  am 
only  showing  you  how  our  order  works.  It  is  the  most  secret  order 
in  the  world,  and  we  never  tell  to  outsiders  who  are  its  members  un- 
der any  circumstances  whatsoever.  I  am  not  the  master  to  such 
as  he;  he  thinks  he  is  just  as  wise  and  just  as  holy  as  any  man. 

AN  UNKNOWN  COUNCIL. 


In  our  order  the  supreme  control  is  vested  in  an  unknown  council. 
The  master  is  not  known,  and  if  I  were  receiving  my  proper  respect 
I  should  be  protected  from  the  troublesome  contact  with  the  gross 
financial  cares  and  left  free  to  pursue  the  higher  tilings  of  the  Spirit, 
and  by  this  means  all  the  brotherhood  would  be  blest;  but  as  it  is 
I  am  worried  from  day  to  day  to  provide  the  means  to  keep  the 
necessities  of  life  in  the  house,  and  if  I  were  to  refuse  to  work  for 
the  sick  because  they  were  unable  to  pay  ray  fees,  I  would  stand 


12G 


condemned  before  the  angels  ass  one  who  was  prostituting  my  God- 
given  powers  for  earthly  gain.     See? 

Therefore,  I  umst  work,  pay  or  no  pay.  Again,  I  cannot  under 
present  eondilions  of  living,  use  my  higher  powers  to  heal  the  sick, 
only  such  as  arc  boiu  of  my  own  experience  and  knowledge,  while 
1  should  be  able  to  conuuand  all  the  life-giving  forces  of  nature. 

This  is  why  I  am  so  anxious  to  get  our  home  established  as  soon 
as  possible.  And  now  this  brings  me  to  the  question  of  the  Daniel's 
property.  I  have  nothing  lo  sav  about  what  Mr.  Specht  may  desire 
to  do  with  it,  if  he  desires  to  i)urcliase  it  for  a  personal  home.  I 
certainly  have  no  obection,  for  we  have  no  nu)ney  to  enter  into  com- 
petition with  him.  All  I  can  siiy  is  that  I  think  it  will  make  you 
a  most  beautiful  home  if  you  can  enjoy  it. 

Speaking  of  patients,  have  you  any  view? 

My  viisit  to  Missouri,  which  was  undertaken  on  a  moment's  no- 
tice, owing  to  the  necessity  to  redeeui  our  cause  from  the  errors  of 
its  tlrst  introduction  to  the  St.  Louis  public,  has  completely  upset 
my  business  here,  and  I  would  like  to  liave  three  or  four  good-paying 
people  come  on  at  once,  to  enable  me  to  meet  my  current  expenses. 

Do  you  hear  anything  nu)re  of  Mrs.  Mason  Smith? 

1  am  a  little  disa])])ointed  that  she  has  not  said  sonu*thing  about 
her  absence  from  our  last  meeting. 

Have  you  heard  anything  from  Miss  (iarvey  lately?  What  kind 
of  a  notice  did  we  get  in  hei-  paper?  I  am  very  anxious  for  the  well 
being  of  my  little  flock  that  nuiy  be  kept  in  the  power  of  the  Sjjirit 
and  the  newness  of  life  as  it  is  in  (iod.  You  are  as  children  who 
have  conu'  into  a  now  and  stronger  light  than  you  have  ever  known 
before,  and  it  is  very  dillicult  for  you  to  discern  between  this  true 
light  and  the  false  lights  thsU  are  the  first  to  meet  your  vision,  and 
1  pray  God  to  strengthen  you  where  you  are  weak  and  to  guide  you 
where  you  lack  experience. 

Allow  me  to  thank  you  for  the  help  you  gave  to  our  dear  Mrs.  Al- 
len. She  is  a  precious  soul,  to  w!iom  has  been  entrusted  great  pos- 
sibilities. 

Give  my  paternal  love  to  all  of  your  little  band. 

For  your  dear  daughter  and  yourself  accept  the  Master's  blessing. 

My  most  kindly  renuMubrance  to  the  rest  of  your  family. 

I  am  your  faithful  fiMend  and  sponsor 

N.  B. — (Tn  Howard's  handwriting.) 

Mrs.  Howard  just  asked  me  if  I  had  remarked  your  kind  message 
to  herself,  and  I  said  no.  Then  you  just  better  do  it,  she  said,  or  I 
will  write  myself,  so  as  to  save  you.     My  darling  wife's  k'nd  regards. 

My  new  machine  is  not  working  quite  smoothly  yet.  It  some- 
times prints  one  letter  over  another. 


iGod- 


iider 

Isick, 

'bile 


Isouu 

liel's 

jesire 

M'.     I 

com- 

vou 


DR.   HOWARD'S    PHILOSOPHY. 


The   Indian   Yoi^i  and   Their   Peculiar   Tenets. 


A  LETTER  FROM  THE  DOCTOR. 


It  Was  One  of  the   Exhibits  in  the   Big  Libel  Trial  at  Perth. 


(Continued  from  yesterday.) 
Among  the  exhibits  filed  with  the  evidence  of  the  commission  to 
the  United  States,  whioli  i)Iayed  such  an  ini])ortant  part  in  the  big 
libel  trial  at  Perth,  was  the  following  letter  written  by  Dr.  Howard, 
and  published  by  him  in  one  of  the  St.  Louis  papers  while  he  was 
lecturing  there: 

THE  HINDOO   YO(}I. 


A  PECULIAR  SCHOOL  OF  PHILOSOPIIEKS  AND  ITS  TENETS. 


LIFE  DEVOTED  TO  CONTEMPLATION  OF  THE  HUMAN  SOUL 
AND  ITS  RELATION  TO  THE  DIVINE  SOtlL— HOV\  THE 
MIND  IS  WITHDRAWN  FROM  THINOS  EARTHLY  HV  AR- 
TIFICIAL AID. 


The  peculiar  school  of  Hindoo  philosophers  known  us  the  Yogi 
are  a  much  misunderstood  people;  and  this,  no  doubt,  is  in  a  great 
measure  due  to  the  fact  that  the  persons  who  are  calleti  Yogins,  and 
who  are  the  ones  seen  by  the  people,  are  not  the  real  philosophers, 
but,  rather,  a  class  of  ascetics  who  practice  only  the  exoteric  branch 
of  the  Yoga. 

The  Yogi  may  with  perfect  propriety  be  divided  into  two  quite 
different  branches,  the  first  being  those  of  whom  we  hear  and  see 
the  most.  These  people  practice  austerities  so  severe  as  to  amount 
to  nothing  short  of  physical  torture.  As  an  example  of  this,  men- 
tion may  be  made  of  a  few  of  the  most  common  practices  in  vogue 
among  them.  \^'hen  an  aspirant  has  determined  upon  the  form  of 
the  austerity  lie  will  adopt,  he  then  selects  the  place  where  his 
meditations  shall  be  conducted.  You  can  see  young  men  and  old 
sitting,  usually  in  some  quiet  place,  staring  into  vacancy  with  an 

127 


128 

absoibcd,  iinsccinj;  i!;iVM\  iK'tfcctly  oblivions  to  all  out  ward  thinj^H 
pasHJii};  around  llicm.  Soiuetiiin's  they  will  liav«'  one  hand  thnist 
out  straight,  soniclinics  acroHH  the  breast,  or  it  nni,v  be  behind  the 
back;  or  yet,  a^ain,  it  may  be  the  arm  has  been  bent  so  (hat  the 
closed  hand  rests  in  the  axilla.  At  other  times  it  may  be  the  foot 
or  le<;  is  put  into  some  unnatunil  position,  which,  lon«j;  continued, 
nuist  produce  ex<iuisite  physical  torture.  The  position,  once  taken, 
is  lU'ver  abandoned,  and  it  is  often  (piite  sickening'  to  see  the  tor- 
ture, self-inllicted,  these  poor,  deluded  creatures  bear,  not  only  witli- 
out,  but  with  apparent  absolute  unc(»nsciousness  of  bodily  pain. 
Just  fancy  what  deteiinination  they  must  be  possessed  of  to  enable 
them  to  carry  the  arm  for  yeais  in  the  one  position,  the  haiul  bent 
up  into  the  arm  i)it,  and  held  liKU'e  until,  from  inaction,  the  muscles 
have  shrunken  away,  leaving'  the  joints  rij^id  and  the  ai'U)  ;i  mere 
shriveled  incubus,  while  the  tinker  nails,  from  bein^  lonjf  uncut,  are 
ji'rowin^'  like  claws  lln'oujj,h  the  withered  |)alm;  the  body  clothed  in 
rajis  and  c(i\-ered  with — well,  say  dii't.  They  never  ask  oi'  seek  for 
food,  but  dt'|»end  entirely  upon  the  chance  dish  of  rice  which  souu' 
kind-hearted  native  may  biinj;  to  their  bowl,  and  drinkiii};'  watei- 
for  their  <;()urd.  This  utter  indiU'erence  is  at  lirst,  of  course,  as- 
sumed, and  nutintained  by  the  strenj^th  of  will;  at  last,  however,  it 
beconu's  an  ac(piired  fa(;ulty. 

This  is  called  the  imjx'tuous  system,  and  is  not  approved  of  in  the 
Yoj>a  Sutras,  because  it  does  not  yield  the  results  looked  for  and 
obtained  by  the  true  Yoj^i.  It  is,  however,  alou}"'  the  same  line  as 
those  Christian  orders  who  follow  literally  tl'e  advice  of  St.  Paul: 
*'If  ye  live  after  the  tiesh  ye  shall  die;  but  if  ye  through  the  spirit  do 
mortify  the  deeds  of  the  body,  ye  shall  live,"  and  who  for  this  ])ur 
pose  wmw  sackcloth,  scourj^c  themselves  and  practice  all  manner 
of  devices  to  liumiliate  and  atllict  the  poor  body,  that  they  nuiy 
overcome  the  num  in  themselves,  and  so  become  worthy  to  inherit 
heaven,  with  its  house  of  many  mansions.  It  is  historically  recorded 
that  a  certain  female  saint  of  Christian  Spain  boasted,  "She  has  not 
washed  hei-self  for  uu)r(*  than  sixty  years,  and  Kinjjj  I'hilip  destroyed 
tlie  public  baths  which  the  Moors  had  built,  "liecause,"  he  said, 
"bathing'  is  not  Christian  pra(;tice."  liut  really  it  does  not  seem 
so  bad  to  have  ('hristians  starve  and  beat  themselves  for  Jesus' 
sake  and  to  win  saintly  honor,  as  it  does  for  the  dark-skinned  Hin- 
doo to  sit  around  und(M'  the  shade  of  tlie  mighty  Banyan  tree,  nearly 
naked,  half  starved  and  quite  oblivious  to  their  un])leasant  condi- 
tion, lost  in  contemj)latinff  the  nature  and  possibilities  of  the  soul. 
Th(»  one  is  heathen  and  the  other  Christian,  you  know. 

The  class  of  persons  above  described,  although  great  ascetics,  are 
not  the  ones  properly  called  the  Yogi. 

THE  SANKHYA  SYSTEM. 


The  Yogi  with  whom  it  is  our  present  purpose  to  deal  are  a  sect 
or  school  of  philosophers,  whose  speculations  have  to  do  with  the 


12U 


subject  of  the  soul  in  its  abstract  sense;  also  do  with  the  sribject  of 
the  soul  and  its  relations  to  the  Divine  soul.  The  iiaino  Yo^an 
means  one  who  observes  the  rules  of  Yoga.  Yoga  is  the  second 
division  of  the  Sankh^'a  system.  There  are  really  six  systenis  called 
Daranas,  into  which  the  speculations  of  the  ages  of  the  almost  for- 
gotten past  have  been  collected,  and,  so  to  speak,  coditled.  The 
term  Yoga,  as  here  used,  is,  perhaps,  best  rendered  as  meaning  con- 
centration, and  is  a  derivation  from  the  Hanskrit  word  "Yug,"  to 
join  in  the  sense  of  blending.  Hence  the  object  of  the  Yoga  practice 
is  to  produce  a  condition  of  blending  of  the  individual  soul  of  the 
devotee  with  the  universal  soul.  The  intelligence  of  the  universe 
is  the  soul  of  God,  the  name  used  being  Iswara-Lord,  or  God.  It  is 
desirable  at  this  point  to  call  attention  to  the  fact  that  the  Yoga 
Sutras  does  not  deal  with  God  the  Infinite  as  the  Infinite  Supreme 
Being,  but  as  the  Universal  Supreme  Soul.  The  reason  why  it  is 
deemed  best  to  draw  attention  at  this  early  stage  to  this  distinction 
is  to  prevent  confusing  the  soul  with  the  spirit;  because,  unless 
this  distinction  is  preserved,  we  are  liable  to  fall  into  the  common 
error  and  so  miss  the  whole  meaning  of  the  Yoga  system.  There- 
fore, always  remember,  while  reading  of  the  Yoga  Sutras  that  they 
do  not  deal  with  the  subject  of  the  spirit  at  all.  This  is  the  great 
mistake  of  all  modern  translators,  whether  Hindoo  or  European. 
Pantanjali,  who  was  Ihe  compiler  of  the  Yoga  system,  speaks  of  the 
infinite  soul,  of  the  eternity  of  the  soul,  of  the  universal  soul,  etc., 
and,  as  before  remarked,  he  uses  the  word  Isvvara,  but  not  as 
Brahma  (neuter).  He  defines  Iswara  as  a  particular  Purusha.  Now, 
according  to  the  Vedic  use  of  the  word  I'urusha,  it  means  a  com- 
bination of  imparted  energies  conferred  upon  an  individual,  usually 
a  special  creation,  as  in  this  case,  the  purpose  of  whose  existence 
is  to  create  ofitspring;  and  as  all  things  are  created  after  their  kind, 
in  accordance  with  nature's  law,  so  from  Purusha  Iswara,  the  uni- 
versal soul,  "springs  all  souls  as  the  sparks  from  a  fire."  Pantanjali 
further  defines  Iswara  as  the  one  "in  whom  the  germ  of  omiuiscience 
reaches  its  utmost  limit,  and  whose  appellation  is  'Om,'  the  term 
of  glory."     From  it  comes  all  knowledge  of  Iswara. 

Iswara,  then,  is  what  might  most  properly  be  called  the  soul  of 
God,  as  in  contradistinction  to  the  Spirit  of  God-Spirit  being  life 
and  energy,  soul  being  knowledge  of  the  faculty  by  which  things 
are  perceived,  compared  and  known.  The  human  soul,  we  are  told, 
is  a  part  of  the  universal  soul,  the  offspring  of  Iswara,  that  is  im- 
prisoned in  the  body  for  a  time  and  for  a  purpose;  and  that  purpose 
is  to  give  intelligence  to  the  matter  which  has  been  organized  and 
vivified  by  the  spirit  of  life  into  a  living  mass,  with  power  to  act, 
and  requiring  the  presence  and  influence  of  the  soul-knowledge  to 
guide  and  control  its  energies  to  some  useful  end. 

The  intention  of  the  Yoga  Sutras  is  to  teach  mankind  how  to  re- 
establish the  union  of  the  personal  with  the  universal  soul,  and  to 
maintain  this  union  while  our  scails  are  yet  imprisoned  in  their 
earthly  tenement.    Pantanjali  says:     "^lan  is  kept  apart  from  the 


130 

supreme  and  intinite  existence  by  various  obstacles,  such  as  bis  rest- 
lessness and  activity.  These  must  be  hindered  by  a  repeated  effort 
to  keep  the  mind  in  a  modified  state,  or  by  dispassion,  which  is  the 
consciousness  of  having  overcome  all  desires  for  objects  that  are 
seen  on  earth  or  read  of  in  the  Scriptures." 

He  then  proceeds  to  enumerate  the  various  methods  by  which 
this  end  may  be  accomplished.  There  are  many  artificial  aids  to 
this.  One  of  the  principal  physical  actions  is  that  of  regulating  the 
breath,  which  is  divided  under  three  heads,  viz:  Inspiration,  expira- 
tion and  suppressi  m.  (It  is  most  singular  to  note  the  effect  of  this 
effort  upon  the  senses  when  it  is  done  properly  and  according  to  the 
rules  prescribed.)  The  act  of  regulating  the  breath  is  called  in  the 
Sanskrit  Pranayama,  and  full  directions  as  to  the  preparations  for 
and  the  mode  of  performing  the  same  are  carefully  taught,  because 
it  is  as  dangerous  for  the  untaught,  or  profane,  as  it  is  beneficial  to 
those  wlio  have  the  proper  knowledge.  ''By  restraining,"  says  the 
great  teacher  and  Yogin,  "the  devotee  gains  a  knowledge  of  the 
past  and  future,  a  knowledge  of  the  sounds  of  all  animals,  of  all  that 
has  happened  before,  of  thet  houghts  of  others,  of  the  time  of  his 
own  death,  a  knowledge  of  all  that  exists  in  the  different  worlds  and 
the  structui'e  of  his  own  body.'' 

MODERN   INVESTIGATION. 


It  is  interesting  to  note  how  closely  the  investigations  of  the  most 
improved  systems  of  the  modern  scientific  physical  experiments 
have  followed  along  the  path  of  the  Hindoo  Yogi,  and  one  who 
knows  the  condition  produced  by  Pranayama  is  inclined  to  wonder 
why  such  daring  observers  as  Charcot  have  not  carried  their  experi- 
ments a  little  further,  and  found  for  themselves  how  wonderful  are 
the  things  they  might  know.  However,  they  disjtlay  wisdom  in  not 
carrying  their  inciuiry  too  far.  Unless  it  is  conducted  strictly  on 
the  Yogi  system,  the  mode  or  rules  for  which  were  well  understood 
before  the  days  of  Pai-^+anjali,  the  result  may  be  neither  beneficial 
nor  pleasant  to  the  subject.  This  is  not  a  foolish  saying,  tlirown 
out  to  appear  mysterious,  but  a  fact  often  seen  and  never  understood 
except  by  the  adepts  who  know ;  and,  lest  you  may  think  so,  we  will 
call  attention  to  the  fact  well  known  that  a  subject  under  hypnotic 
control  is  deaf  to  t'^'ery  voice  except  that  of  the  operator,  blind  to 
all  that  he  does  not  wish  him  to  see  and  dumb  to  every  one  except 
to  him  whose  will  dominates  the  mind.  It  is  plain,  therefore,  that 
in  the  case  of  hypnotic  control,  the  subject  has  lost  something  from 
his  normal  state;  and  this  is  not  a  single  faculty,  nor  is  it  all  the 
faculties  of  the  mind.  This  lost  something  seems  to  be  partly  the 
intuition,  both  of  which  are  dominated  by  the  ruling  force  of  anoth- 
er's mind  in  the  active  stage.  By  means  of  this  obscuring  of  the 
senses  in  the  subject  the  operator  is  enabled  to  call  forth  a  latent 
power  or  sub-consciousness,  by  which  he  can  bring  this  newly  de- 
Teloped  faculty  of  the  subject  into  contact  with  persons  and  things 


best- 
fort 
the 
ai*e 


I'M 

entirely  removed  from  the  normal  state  of  the  subject's  mind,  or,  for 
that  matter,  from  his  personal  knowledge. 

The  experiments  in  physical  phenomena  ever  since  the  days  of 
Mesmer  have  been  trying  in  vain  to  understand  the  why  in  all  these 
matters,  and  to  explain  by  what  element  of  the  mind  they  are  able 
to  produce  such  results.  They  have  found  that  by  the  use  of  certain 
drugs  a  condition  can  be  produced  which  in  part  resembles  the  effect 
of  hypnotism;  but  no  drug  can  do  so  entirely,  because  it  is  lacking 
in  the  matter  of  the  activfl  dominating  will.  Again,  where  drugs 
are  used  as  a  stimulant,  a  condition  similar  to  the  trance  ecstacy 
may  be  secured.  But  it  is  without  system,  reason  or  control,  while 
it  further  differs  from  the  former  by  leaving  the  subject  open  to  be 
acted  upon  by  any  inliuence  or  intelligence  that  may  for  tlie  time  be- 
ing choose  to  assume  the  control  while  the  mind  is  thus  unbalanced. 
The  use  of  any  drug  operation  or  process  by  which  the  mind  of  the 
individual  can  be  thrown  out  of  its  normal  balance,  such  as  God — 
Iswara — first  established,  is  a  sin  against  the  soul  of  the  individual, 
is  a  sin  against  the  universal  soul,  because  it  interferes  with  the  in- 
dependence of  action  of  the  individual  soul,  and  assumes  a  preroga- 
tive, which  the  Infinite  God  Himself  will  not  exercise.  God  does  not 
in  any  case  interfere  with  the  exercise  of  man's  free  will  in  matters 
of  the  mind  only.  This  fact  is  fully  recognized  in  the  Darsanas,  and 
no  pious  Brahmin  will  exercise  such  a  mastery  over  the  mind  of  his 
pupil.  It  is  a  sin.  Nor  will  he  do  so  even  to  an  enemy,  because  he 
must  in  a  measure  become  identified  with  the  evil  that  is  in  the 
mind  of  that  individual  enemy.  Therefore,  the  followers  of  the 
Rag- Veda  are  positively  restrained  from  such  an  exercise  of  the  will 
as  against  another.  It  is,  however,  one  of  the  highest  aims  of  a 
pious  Hindoo  to  cultivate  within  himself  that  condition  by  which  he 
can  knowingly  and  intelligently  place  his  individual  soul  in  sym- 
pathetic union  with  the  universal  soul. 

Throwing  aside  all  disguises,  the  Yoga  practice  has  for  its  object 
the  two-fold  purpose;  first,  of  teaching  the  devotee  how  to  elevate 
his  own  soul  above  the  influences  of  things  pertaining  to  time  and 
sense  to  that  condition  of  self-renunciation  by  which  all  desires  of 
hie  material  man  are  overcome  that  might  otherwise  disturb  the 
sublime  quiet  necessary  to  the  contemplation  of  the  divine  "nature 
of  the  soul;"  and,  second,  to  teach  him  how  to  preserve  himself  from 
the  influence  of  passing  intelligences  or  of  disembodied  souls,  while 
he  is  in  this  perfectly  passive  state  (called  Samadhi). 


PRESCRIBED  POSTURES. 


The  student  of  the  Yoga  system  begins  to  exercise  himself  in  a 
series  of  prescribed  postures,  in  which  he  perfects  himself  as  an 
athlete  does  when  preparing  for  feats  of  physical  endurance;  and 
after  having  obtained  a  certain  degree  of  proficiency,  he  commences 
pranayama,  of  the  art  of  regulating  the  breathing  at  the  same 
period  concentrating  the  mind  to  contemplate  the  mystery  of  Is- 


132 


wara.  It  must  be  remembered  the  mind,  as  here  had  in  view,  is  not 
in  mind  in  its  active  state  as  an  energy;  but  rather  the  intuition 
faculty  of  the  soul,  placed  by  means  of  certain  set  formula  into  sym- 
pathetic harmony  with  the  universal.  In  this  attitude  of  the  indi- 
vidual toward  the  universal  soul  the  mind  of  the  operator  becomes 
aware  of  what  is  passing  outside  the  limited  circle  of  his  personal 
surroundings,  and  which  pertains  to  the  knowledge  of  things  uni- 
versal. It  is  presumed  to  be  understood  that  while  stating  the  facta 
regarding  this  system  of  personal  indorsement  is  offered.  How- 
ever, it  may  be  remarked  that  the  Yoga  system  finds  its  analogy 
partly  in  the  course  pursued  to  develop  a  medium  among  the  spir- 
itualists, and  also  in  the  development  of  a  lucide  under  hypnotie 
domination  as  practiced  by  the  present  French  school. 

The  reason  why  it  becomes  necessary  to  mention  both  of  these  is 
this:  The  Yoga  is  in  a  certain  sense  self-hypnotized;  but  with  this 
difference  between  him  and  the  hypnotized  one,  that  in  the  latter 
case  the  condition  is  induced  through  the  agency  of  the  senses, 
active  in  observation,  the  eyes  being  fixed  upon  something  which 
attracts  and  holds  the  attention;  but  the  Yogin  turns  his  vision  in- 
ward, and  contemplates  Iswara  as  within  his  own  body,  having  his 
eyes  directed  to  the  seat  of  the  solar  plexees  of  nerves.  The  differ- 
ence in  the  developing  medium  and  the  Yoga  student  consists  in  the 
fact  that  the  medium's  mind  is  made  as  nemr  a  blank  as  possible,  so 
that  a  sufficiently  passive  state  may  be  reached  for  the  purpose  of 
inviting  a  communication  with  the  souls  of  the  disembodied,  which 
are  still  individual,  and  the  highest  development  ever  obtained  by 
such  medium  is  to  be  able  to  receive  and  transmit  personal  com- 
munications of  a  specific  and  personal  character,  while  tlie  Yogin 
arms  himself  against  this  very  sort  of  thing  by  cutting  oft"  all  com- 
munication of  a  personal  nature,  and  leaping  past  the  particular,  se- 
cures union  with  the  universal  soul. 

Again,  in  the  case  of  the  hypnotized  subject,  we  find  the  will  of 
the  lucide  is  only  passive  as  regards  self,  but  is  dominated  by  the 
active  will  of  the  operator  through  whose  agency  a  sub-conscious 
faculty  of  observation,  latent  in  every  soul,  is  forced  into  action. 
Instead  of  this,  the  soul  of  the  Yogin  is  joined  to  the  universal 
soul — passive — with  which  he,  for  the  time  being,  becomes  identi- 
fied; so  the  soul  of  the  individual  coalesces  with  and  is  absorbed 
into  the  course  of  all  knowledge,  which  is  Iswara  (Soul  of  God).  In 
this  condition  he  can  in  very  truth  say:  ''Now  I  know  as  I  am 
known." 

The  true  devotee  does  not  enter  upon  his  course  with  any  view  to 
self-aggrandizement  or  the  actjuirement  of  supernatural  powers  for 
display  before  an  astonished  or  credulous  audience  of  less  gifted 
mortals;  nor  does  he  practice  such  acts  of  physical  torture  as  the 
persons  described  in  the  beginning  of  this  article.  The  object  he 
has  in  view  is  far  too  holy  for  any  such  display,  and  he  would  shun 
it  as  he  would  the  bite  of  an  angry  cobra.  As  before  stated,  he 
seeks  to  know  and  be  Identified  with  the  universal  soul— as  Iswara, 


133 

the  knowledge  of  God — and  this  is  one  of  the  greatest  acquirements 
possible  to  man,  and  the  very  highest  possible  to  him  as  soul.  This 
is  Yogism,  or  the  science  of  the  soul.  But  this  sort  of  soul  philoso- 
phy is  not  taught  as  the  highest  science  of  the  Rig-Vida.  The  sys- 
tem of  the  Vegas  is  the  last  of  the  Darsanas,  and  it  deals  exclusively 
with  the  spirit,  or  man  as  an  active  agent,  self-responsible,  and  his 
relation  of  the  Infinite  Spirit,  as  the  active  energy  of  God-Brahma. 


^  'Jf.    ,^/o74^^9^^^ 


MRS.  SPECHT'S  ANSWER  TO  HOWARD'S  FIRST  LETTER  TO 
HER,  WHEREIN  SHE  IS  ADDRESSED  AS  "GENTLE 

LADY." 


To  the  Reverend  and  Respected  Master,  the  Sage  of  Aru : 

Before  opening  your  letter,  most  esteemed  Sage  and  teacher,  I  felt 
the  solemnity  and  sacredness  of  the  duty  that  devolved  upon  me  to 
receive  it  in  the  proper  spirit  and  the  inexpressible  weight  and  bear- 
ing it  would  have  been  upon  my  destiny.  Not  daring  to  hasten  the 
opening  of  it,  I  whispered  for  aid  and  guidance  from  the  Christ  on 
high,  who  never  fails  me  when  I  abide  in  the  pure  rays  of  the  sanc- 
tified presence,  my  eyes  lighted  upon  the  words  of  Isaiah  iv.,  6-24th 
verses:  And  they  shall  bring  all  your  brethren  for  an  offering  unto 
the  Lord  out  of  all  nations,  etc.,  etc.  I  had  felt  some  intuitive  per- 
ception, unwilling  within  me  at  times  during  the  last  few  months, 
that  there  was  some  one  of  your  holy  order  endeavoring  to  com- 
municate with  me,  and  I  told  the  precious  Father  that  I  knew  if  ex- 
pedient for  me  I  would  receive  it  at  the  proper  time,  and  so  I  now 
consign  myself  into  His  keeping,  duty,  like  Paul,  who  says,  "I  be- 
seech you,  therefore,  brethren,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that  ye  present 
your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice  holy,  acceptable  unto  God,  which  is 
your  reasonable  service.  And  be  not  conformed  to  this  world;  but 
be  ye  transferred  by  the  renewing  of  your  mind,  that  ye  may  have 
that  wliat  is  good  and  acceptable  and  perfect,  will  of  God."  And 
]  read,  '*Do  it  not."  The  profoundest  depths  of  my  soul  were  stirred 
and  which  sunk  within  me  into  reveries  of — 

But  there  is  a  very  tried  impression  that  the  Great  All  Father 
has  wisdom;  wisdom,  righteous  love,  not  that  the  wisdom  by  which 
we  gain  the  Holy  Ones  being  aflflnity.  And  so  I  fflin  would  prove 
what  is  that  good  and  acceptable  and  perfect  will  of  God."  For 
has  He  not  said  in  Isaiah  iv.,  11,  20th  verse: 

"And  I  will  bring  the  blind  by  the  way  that  they  know  not.  I 
will  lead  them  in  paths  that  they  have  not  known;  I  will  make 
darkness  light  before  them,  and  crooked  things  straight.  These 
things  will  I  do  unto  them  and  not  forsake  them."  I  have  not  de- 
stroyed my  manuscript,  but  I  have  abandoned  it,  and  will  not  take  it 
with  me  to  the  country  unto  which  I  journey  in  a  few  days.     And  as 


134 

I  now  consign  what  has  been  to  me  the  work  of  a  lifetime,  almost 
very  many  lovely  and  beautiful  Rhapasadism,  much  physical  and 
intellectual  knowledge,  very  great  life  lessons  and  soul-inspiring 
troubles  (but  no  solemn  holy  mysteries),  have  thus  found  their 
burial.  I  was  part  of  my  life,  my  companion,  for  many  years,  and 
the  deep  soul  hunger  of  a  child  of  God,  who  sees  millions  perishing 
for  the  look  of  even  a  little  knowledge,  must  now  be  quenched,  who 
would  fain  touch  them  some  crumbs,  for  all  right  words,  bring  and 
holy. 

I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which  strengthen  me.  (Phil., 
14:13.)  But,  alas!  it  was  after  all  but  the  humanly  devised — of  a 
humble;  and  there  was  one  object  with  which  it  dealt  which  causes 
deep  anxiety  and  mortification,  and  of  this  I  am  forever  relieved. 
I  think  the  Divine  God's  sigh  of  infinite  gratitude  goes  up  as  incense 
to  the  sweet,  precious,  and  whose  presence  and  leadings  are  mine. 
I  will  rest  satisfied  to  feel  the  untold  privileges  have  been  vouch- 
safed unto  me  by  the  precious  Lord,  who  am  but  an  humble  woman, 

and  can  never  aspire  to  the  light  of .    Thanks,  dear  master,  for 

your  disinterested  living  interest  in  this  matter.  Ah,  I  tell  you  my 
heart  jubilates  and  rejoices  with  rapturous — when  I  read  of  the  dear 
ones  so  far  sundered  from  me,  who  nevertheless  live  in  that  pure, 
holy  calm  of  Spiritual,  endeavoring  to  keep  the  unity  of  the  spirit 
in  the  land  of  peace — and  if  we  walk  in  the  light,  as  He  is  in  the 
light,  we  have  fellowship  one  with  another,  and  be  fellow-helper  to 
the  truth.  Ah,  yes;  the  charity  and  love  inculcated  by  unlo\ed 
Christ  does  not  allow  the  true  believers  to  judge  of  His  human  chil- 
dren. "Judge  not  that  ye  may  not  be  judged,  for  with  what  ever 
measure  you  meet  it  shall  be  meted  unto  you."'  May  not,  who  anj 
I  but  a  fallible  mortal  that  I  should  arrogate  unto  myself  the  tre- 
mendous responsibility  and  presumption  of  consigning  my  Hindoo 
jap,  chieves,  and  to  any  sort  of  alienship  from  the  great  Father  of 
OS  all.  How  do  I  know  what  that  spirit  is  that  worketh  with  man 
from  the  beginning:  If  they  shall  not  reign  in  Christ,  hence,  are 
these  not  other  spheres?  But  my  heart  aches  for  the  condition  of 
the  women  in  general  of  my  own  sex  and  the  innocent  littleness. 
But,  on  the  other  hand,  my  heart  wails  forth  anguish  of  spirit  at  the 
dreadful  spectacle  we  present  to  the  world  collectively  as  Christians, 
being  so  totally  contrary  to  the  teachings  of  Christ,  that  mysterious 
God  principle  who  has  hovered  over  and  worked  with  humanity 
for  untold  ages,  and  was  incarnated  for  the  purpose  of  combatting 
and  counteracting  the  insiduous  intriguing  power  of  Satan  and  his 
tribes  of  evil,  that  antagion  force,  alas!  was  never  created  as  well 

to was  also  a  power  of  good,  wherefore,  that  conflict.    Why 

is  man  so  prone  to  forget  his  high  duty? 

EMMA  E.  H.  SPEOHT. 


HOWARD    IN   PRESCOTT, 

Ont.,  in  I8S9  and  1890. 


The  following  exhibit  is  furnished  by  the  Deputy  Register,  Mr. 
James  Clint,  being  an  official  copy  from  the  Register's  Otfice  in  the 
town  of  Prescott,  the  sale  of  the  estate  having  occurred  February 
26,  1890: 

IN  THE  MATTER  OF 

TilE  ESTATE  OF  Q.  S.  HOWARD, 

OF  PRESCOTT,  INSOLVENT. 

First  and  Final   Dividend  Sheet,  showing  10  cts.  on  the  Dollar. 
PRIVILEGED    CLAIMS. 

I.  D.  Purkis  (Office  Rent) $60  00 

Goldie  &  McCullongh  (on  Safe) 18  75 

Celsus  Price  (Salary-3  months) 120  00 

Maria  Fraser  ( House  Rent) 25  00 

Quintus  Price  (Salary — 3  months) 120  00 

343  75 
135 


186 


ORDINARY    CLAIMS. 


NAME. 


Co. 


Wm.  Foster  Brown  A 

Artliia-iJordan 

Jotta-fi.  Huntington 

I8aa6  W.  Plumb 

Celsus  Price 

Harper  VVillard 

W.  G.  Robinson 

R.  W,  Rosa  &  Co 

Carman  &  McDonald 

F.  F.  Prouse 

Cooper  &  Judge 

Louis  H.  Daniels 

Albert  Davis 

Assignee  of  J.  R.  Wrightson 

A.  O.  Harding 

Bradley  &  Co 

W.  S.  Brown  &  Co 

James  Smith 

Thomas  Fisher 

Keeler  &  Mason 

Norton  Miller 

Joseph  Tanner 

Jas.  A.  Ogilvy  &  Sons,  about  (claim  not  proven). 
[$2.50  held  till  claim  proved.] 


ChAlU. 


$14  33 
10  00 

8  00 
32  00 
80  00 
16  65 

2  50 
56  42 
26  11 

9  50 
12  00 
31  50 
36  00 

3  00 
8  73 

108  57 
18  77 
52  70 
36  83 


28 
30 
00 


25  00 


600  19 


DiVIDXNB. 


$1 
1 


4S 

00 

80 

3  20 

8  00 

1  67 

25 

64 

61 

95 

20 

15 

m 

30 

87 

10  8ft 


5 
2 

1 
3 
3 


1 
6 


8S 
27 
3  68 

4a 

83 

40 
2  50 


60  02 


If  no  objections  to  the  above,  the  several  amounts  will  be  paid  in  eight 
days  from  this  date. 

JAMES  CLINT,  Trustbe. 
Prescott,  Ont.,  March  8th,  1890. 


BBCEIPTS. 

Total  amount  received  from   Household   Furniture,   Barn,  Tools,   Bug- 
gies, &c ; $352  98 

Medicine  sold  by  Mr.  Price  (to  apply  on  his  claim) 40  00 

Received  from  sale  of  Balance  of  Contents  of  Office 127  03 

520  01 
DISBURSEMEITTS. 

By  Paid  for  Transfer  Two  Policies  of  Insurance $1  00 

"        for  taking  stock  in  Office  and  assistance  making  inventory 5  00 

"        John  Robinson,  posting  bills 75 

'•        Printing  Account,  Messenger 14  46 

"        for  assistance  getting  ready  for  sale,  and  at  and  after  sale,  includ- 
ing Auctioneer's  fees 20  00 

"        One  month's  Rent  of  House 8  34 

'•       Office.: 5  00 

'•        for  closing  opening  made  in  old  barn  by  removal  of  new  one 1  00 

"        for  Cleanmg  House 75 

"        Solicitor's  account,  Messrs.  French  &  Saunders 27  90 

"        Pc   '.age,  stationery,  distributing  dodgers  and  other  incidentals. . .  6  04 

"        Assignee's  commission,  5  per  cent 26  00 

"        Preferential  claims 343  75 

•'        Dividend  on  ordinary  claims  at  10  centa  on  the  dollar 60  02 

620  01 


■);,v;^"''"  ''"■■' ■■.''a  -• 


I  I,, 


■■"v;_^,:''.   .*  ■ '    ■    - 
"'•'i-  _■■'>':■!'-;■ 


■i4  -'.-"■'■  ^ 


''He  fled  to  Canada  either  to  avoid  giving  evidence 
or  to  evade  arrest,  and  in  Canada  he  has  remained 
ever  since.  The  winters  may  be  cold  here  and  Gunston 
may  be  warm,  but  he  prefers  the  cold  north,  with  a 
fur  overcoat,  to  Fairfax  County  gaol."— From  the  addreee 
to  the  jury  by  Mr.  Oslbk,  Q.  C.  (of  Toronto),  representing  the 
defense  in  the  trial.  , 


t  .V'*. 


"  He  is  a  deceiver  of  women  with  his  mysteries  anc 
nonsense  and  balderdash.  He  extracts  money.  Fc 
what  purpose?  Howard's  pocket!"— From  the  address  t 
the  jury  by  Mr.  Osler,  Q.  C.  (of  Toronto),  representing  the  d< 
tense  in  the  trial. 


.?^*' 


.s!&: 


1.        ',     **•      ^^      J